Articles Published Between 2002 and 2013 on Strategic Issues

MANUFACTURING & TECHNOLOGY NEWS Wednesday, March 23, 2005 5

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Logistics Is An Emerging Strategic

Issue For Military Planners

Although it is much sexier to debate the future of combat aircraft Michael Wynne last July 30 signed

and space warfare, the Department of Defense has been jolted to memos that require radio frequency
reality by operations in Iraq and Afghanistan. A new approach to ID (RFID) and other identifying
expeditionary operations is required; one that allows the Pentagon to tools to be part of the initial
move forces quickly in smaller groups that are supported by a more provision of weapons and supplies.
coherent and integrated logistics system. While priorities have been
placed on the “transformation” of systems, now the stubborn reality of “DOD components will
counter-terrorism, urban warfare and conventional engagements immediately resource and
requires logistics to be placed at the core of Pentagon thinking. implement the use of high data
capacity active RFID in the DOD
operational environment,” said

In part, the renewed attention to Wynne. “DOD components must

logistics has been rooted in the BY ROBBIN LAIRD ensure that all consolidated

challenges encountered in are both focusing upon logistics shipments moving to, from, or
Operation Iraqi Freedom (OIF). provisions as a core component in between overseas locations are
The DOD’s own review of OIF in the ability to provide for effects- tagged, including retrograde, and
March 2004 found that shortfalls based operations. In other words, must expand the active RFID
occurred at every transaction point logistics is not simply the last item in infrastructure to provide global in-
in the supply chain — from providing for force structure transit visibility.”
strategic-level transportation to capability. It is at the heart of any
tactical-level distribution. real force structure design. Wynne understands that
technology alone will not solve the
Recently, the Government The Joint Staff considers logistics problem, but believes that
Accountability Office in its annual to be one of the eight key pillars of technology can be developed to
series on areas of high risk in the effects-based operations. Logistics is assist in asset management. This
federal government identified DOD considered as part of the process guidance was to go into effect on
supply chain management as a and network of capability. It is an January 1, 2005, but suppliers have
prime candidate. According to the interrelated part of operations, not been slow to comply.
GAO’s January 2005 report, DOD an afterthought. It should be noted
“has experienced significant that the Joint Forces Command’s RFID initiatives associated with
weaknesses in its ability to provide experimentation directorate (J9) homeland security and container
efficient and effective supply includes significant logistics shipping makes it clear that the
support to the warfighters.” experimentation and lessons future direction of asset visibility
learned. But to go from today’s must include a key element of
There are many excellent realities to future plans will take security as well.
Powerpoint slides presented by some doing.
Pentagon briefers during the past • Major new programs for DOD
decade revealing a shift to new • Senior DOD leaders have are being designed with logistics as a
logistics management and better shifted requirements to encourage key structural element. The Joint
transparency in supply-chain or force suppliers to provide tools Strike Fighter, Littoral Combat
linkages. But briefing slides do not a for better asset visibility within the Systems and the Deepwater U.S.
capability make. supply chain. Acting Undersecretary Coast Guard programs are a few

The trendy phrase to describe the (Continued on next page)

transition is “focused logistics,” Science Academy Studies Defense R&D
which is defined by DOD as being

“the ability to provide the joint force Defense Department funding of basic research is not being siphoned off
the right personnel, equipment and into weapons projects that are further along in development, according to a
supplies in the right place, at the study from the National Academy of Sciences. But the study, the result of
right time and in the right quantity concerns raised by universities and research laboratories that DOD funding
across the full range of military intended for basic research was being used elsewhere, found that the
operations.” To those of us who try Pentagon is not as interested in pursuing basic research.
to use English as opposed to
Pentagonese, this would seem to be “There has been a trend within DOD for reduced attention to unfettered
the role of logistics, “focused” or not. exploration in basic research programs,” says the study. “Near-term DOD
needs are producing significant pressures to focus basic research in support
There are a number of key of those needs. DOD needs to realign the balance of its basic research more
elements of a real re-think in favor of unfettered exploration.” The 70-page report, “Assessment of
underway. Department of Defense Basic Research,” is located at http://books.nap.edu
/catalog/11177.html.
• First, the Quadrennial Defense
Review and the Joint Staff Guidance

6 Wednesday, March 23, 2005 MANUFACTURING & TECHNOLOGY NEWS

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Catching The Next ‘Wave’ In Renewable Energy

The generation of electricity from Conversion of ocean wave energy predictable than solar and wind
wave energy may be economically to electricity is believed to be one of energy, “offering a better possibility
feasible in the near future, according the most environmentally benign of being dispatchable by an electrical
to the Electric Power Research ways to generate electricity, says the grid systems operator and possibly
Institute. “Wave energy conversion Palo Alto, Calif.-based research earning a capacity payment,”
may be economically feasible within consortium. “Offshore wave energy according to EPRI. “A characteristic
the territorial waters of the United offers a way to minimize the ‘not in of wave energy that suggests that it
States as soon as investments are my backyard’ (NIMBY) issues that may be one of the lowest cost
made to enable wave technology to plague many energy infrastructure renewable energy sources is its high
reach a cumulative production projects,” it says. “Wave energy power density.”
volume of 10,000 to 20,000 conversion devices have a very low
megawatts,” says EPRI. profile and are located far enough EPRI’s offshore wave energy
away from the shore that they are report can be accessed at
Conceptual designs for 300,000 generally not visible.” http://www.epri.com/targetWhitePap
megawatt-hour (MWh) plants erContent.asp?program=267825&v
(nominally 120 megawatt plants Wave energy is also more alue=04T084.0&objid=297213.
operating at 40 percent capacity
factor) were performed for five sites: Climate Change Task Force Calls
Waimanalo Beach, Oahu, Hawaii;
Old Orchard Beach, Cumberland For Doubling Of Clean Energy R&D
County, Maine; WellFleet, Cape
Cod, Mass.; Gardiner, Douglas “Left unmitigated, the impacts of climate change are expected to be
County, Ore.; and Ocean Beach, San devastating,” says the International Climate Change Taskforce.
Francisco County, Calif. “Urgent action is needed.” The group, co-chaired by Sen. Olympia
Snowe (R-Maine), calls on governments to establish requirements that
EPRI found that wave energy will 25 percent of electricity come from renewable energy sources by 2025.
become commercially competitive
with land-based wind turbines “at a Governments from the industrialized nations should double their
cumulative production volume of spending by 2010 on research, development and demonstration of
10,000 or fewer MW in Hawaii and advanced technologies for energy-efficient and low- and zero-carbon
northern California, about 20,000 energy supplies. The task force calls for the creation of a G-8 Climate
MW in Oregon and about 40, 000 Group to pursue technology agreements and initiatives that will lead to
MW in Massachusetts,” said Roger large emissions reductions.
Bedard, EPRI’s ocean energy
project manager. “Maine is the only The report, published by the Institute for Public Policy Research in
state in the five-site study whose London, The Center for American Progress in Washington, D.C., and
wave climate is such that wave the Australia Institute, is located at http://www.americanprogress.org
energy may never be able to /atf/cf/{E9245FE4-9A2B-43C7-A521-5D6FF2E06E03}
economically compete with a good /CLIMATECHALLENGE.PDF.
wind energy site.”

Logistics...(Continued from page five) • The budget downturn and redirection of Pentagon
spending has the major Pentagon suppliers rethinking
examples of the requirement to build in logistics their approach to logistics as well. Robert Stevens, the
provision from the beginning of program development. CEO of Lockheed Martin, recently commented that if
the big spend on systems is over, the company would
• DOD is turning to rapid procurement modification shift focus toward determining “how to contribute to a
acquisition to provide for conventional engagement in broader market area that includes sustainability, logistics
Iraq. In a number of areas, procurement modifications and streamlining.”
are taking logistics issues into account. For example, in
December Lt. Gen. Claude Christianson, the Army’s A number of important military service contractors,
deputy chief of staff for logistics, commented about the such as CACI, Anteon and related firms, will certainly
replacement of the Humvee in 2007-2010 as follows: consolidate their capabilities to provide a more
“The way we thought we would use trucks five or six comprehensive logistic solution to the Pentagon.
years ago is different than the way we are using them
today. We had planned and organized our forces so that In short, a strategic shift is underway. Logistics is
we would have an area that we owned, and we’d have moving from being the last thought to a front-burner
boundaries, and we’d have a front line, and we’d have a issue in designing systems and providing for effects-
rear area. The trucks that we use to deliver supplies based operations and security capabilities.
would be driving along roads that were relatively secure.
Today’s battlefield is not like that.” — Robbin Laird is director of ICSA LLC, an Arlington, Va.-
based firm specializing in aerospace and defense. He can be
reached via e-mail at [email protected].

MANUFACTURING & TECHNOLOGY NEWS Wednesday, March 23, 2005 7

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U.S. Gets Clobbered By Euro Imports Commodity Prices Boost

Due To Tax Treatment, Says MAPI U.S. Minerals Industries

“During the past decade, Western Europe has used aggressive The value of the all mineral materials
‘tax competition’ to nearly double its exports to the rest of the processed in the United States “soared” last
world — far faster than [the United States’] export growth — and year to $418 billion, up 13 percent from
has built a substantial trade surplus with the United States,” says 2003, says the United States Geological
the Manufacturers Alliance/MAPI. Western Europe has reduced Survey. It was the largest year-to-year
corporate income tax rates, while rebating value-added taxes increase since 1988. The total value of raw,
(VATs) on its exports and is using the WTO’s “arbitrary rules to non-fuel mine production rose to $44 billion,
thwart effective responses by the United States.” up 12 percent from 2003.

To combat this advantage, the President’s Advisory Panel on “The story this year is the escalating
Federal Tax Reform “should consider how this nation’s corporate demand from emerging industrial giants
income tax disadvantages U.S. companies and their workers China and India, and how this demand is
against foreign rivals operating VATs,” says MAPI. There is a reverberating through the world economy,”
“destructive synergy among Europe’s border-adjustable VATs; the said USGS director Chip Groat. “These
high U.S. corporate income tax that applies to worldwide income; materials represent the underpinnings of the
and the arbitrary WTO rules that allow border adjustments for economy and our national security because
VATs but not for income taxes.” they are used to make all kinds of
manufactured products,” said Groat.
Europe’s dominance in exports due to high U.S. corporate tax “Because mining is the first step in
rates has hurt U.S. workers more than U.S. investors, MAPI producing nearly anything that isn’t farmed,
argues. “While American workers are left with the lower pay that these statistics are a key early indicator of a
follows less demand for their services, today’s highly computerized nation’s economic performance.”
financial markets allow investors around the world to seek out the
country that offers the highest after-tax rates of return.” The 199-page report, “Mineral
Commodity Summaries 2005,” which
The report, “How the U.S. Corporate Income Tax, Foreign summarizes market trends for about 90
Border-Adjustable Value-Added Taxes and International Trade individual mineral commodities, is located at
Rules Team Up To Disadvantage U.S. Companies and Their http://minerals.usgs.gov/minerals/pubs/mcs/2
Workers” (ER-584e), can be ordered at http://www.mapi.net 005/mcs2005.pdf.
/html/prelease.cfm?release_id=1764.

Recent Studies — Resources Of Interest

RADIO FREQUENCY IDENTIFICATION: LITTLE DEVICES MAKING WHAT INDIANA MAKES, MAKES INDIANA, a 19-page report
BIG WAVES, a 16-page report from the Progressive Policy from the Indiana Manufacturers Association describing the
Institute, is located at http://www.ppionline.org/ importance of manufacturing to Indiana’s economy, is
documents/RFID_1006.pdf. available at http://www.imaweb.com./news_pdfs
/IN%20Mfg%20Report%20Exec%20Sum%20Final.pdf.
ECONOMIC IMPACT OF INADEQUATE INFRASTRUCTURE FOR
SUPPLY CHAIN INTEGRATION, (190 pages) produced by RTI UNITED STATES PATENT AND TRADEMARK OFFICE 2004
International for the National Institute of Standards and PERFORMANCE AND ACCOUNTABILITY REPORT: http://www.
Technology, is located at http://www.nist.gov/director/prog- uspto.gov/web/offices/com/annual/2004/index.html.
ofc/report04-2.pdf.
EUROPEAN UNION’S TECHNOLOGY PLATFORMS program and
THE BEST MANUFACTURING PRACTICES CENTER OF the descriptions of “large-scale” research proposals for 22
EXCELLENCE has released survey reports of Forest City Gear industries: http://www.cordis.lu/technology-platforms/.
of Roscoe, Ill.; Tomak Precision of Lebanon, Ohio; and RB
Tool and Manufacturing Co. of Cincinnati, Ohio. The best COSTS OF DEVELOPING A FOREIGN MARKET FOR A SMALL
practices surveys are on the BMP Web site by clicking on BUSINESS: THE MARKET AND NON-MARKET BARRIERS TO
“Best Practices Surveys”: http://www.bmpcoe.org. EXPORTING BY SMALL FIRMS, from the Small Business
Administration, is located at http://www.sba.gov/advo
ADDING VALUE...GROWING CAREERS, THE EMPLOYMENT /research/rs241tot.pdf.
OUTLOOK IN TODAY’S INCREASINGLY COMPETITIVE IT JOB
MARKET, from the Information Technology Association of INNOVATE AMERICA, NATIONAL INNOVATION INITIATIVE
America, is located at http://www.itaa.org/eweb/upload/ REPORT: THRIVING IN A WORLD OF CHALLENGE AND CHANGE,
04workforcestudy.pdf. from the Council on Competitiveness, is located at:
http://www.compete.org/pdf/NII_Final_Report.pdf.
THE OCCUPATIONAL SAFETY AND HEALTH ADMINISTRATION
has identified 14,000 workplaces with high injury and THE AFL-CIO’S JOB EXPORT DATABASE PROJECT (JEDP) has
illness rates. These locations are prime targets for an OSHA issued five state reports that list company layoffs and the
inspection this year. The list is available for public viewing: number of jobs impacted in each of the states. The Ohio
http://www.osha.gov/as/opa/foia/hot_11.html.
(Continued on page eight)

8 Wednesday, March 23, 2005 MANUFACTURING & TECHNOLOGY NEWS

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Recent Reports...(From page seven) LIMITING CARBON DIOXIDE EMISSIONS: PRICES VERSUS CAPS, a
March 15, six-page Congressional Budget Office report, is
report is located at http://www.afl-cio.org/issuespolitics/ located at http://www.cbo.gov/ftpdocs/61xx/doc6148/03-15-
manufacturing/ upload/ohio_jobexports.pdf; Pennsylvania PricesVSCaps.pdf.
is at http://www.afl-cio.org/issuespolitics/manufacturing/
upload/pa_jobexports.pdf; Washington is at http://www.afl- AN OCEAN BLUEPRINT FOR THE 21ST CENTURY FINAL REPORT
cio.org/issuespolitics/manufacturing/upload/wa_jobexports. FROM THE U.S. COMMISSION ON OCEAN POLICY is available at
pdf; Wisconsin is at http://www.afl-cio.org/issuespolitics http://oceancommission.gov/welcome.html.
/manufacturing/ upload/wi_jobexports.pdf; and Minnesota
is at http://www.afl-cio.org/issuespolitics/manufacturing Federal Trade Commission rule changes regarding HART-
/upload/mn_jobexports.pdf. SCOTT-RODINO acquisitions and mergers have gone into
effect and are located at http://www.ftc.gov/opa/2005/
THE 2005 TRADE POLICY AGENDA AND THE 2004 ANNUAL 02/fyi0516.htm.
REPORT OF THE PRESIDENT ON THE TRADE AGREEMENTS
PROGRAM, a report from the United States Trade VALUE CHAIN ANALYSIS OF THE U.S. PROPANE INDUSTRY finds
Representative, outlines the Bush administration’s trade that the propane industry contributes $11.7 billion annually
initiatives for the coming year. The report also contains the to the U.S. economy and employs 50,000 workers. The
congressionally mandated five-year assessment of the World report, from the National Propane Gas Association, is
Trade Organization. It is located at: http://www.ustr.gov. located at http://www.npga.org.

Government Accountability Office Reports: AN INTEGRATED PLAN FOR DEVELOPMENT AND PROCESSING OF
DEFENSE ACQUISITIONS: Changes in the Air Force’s E-10A LOW-COST TITANIUM MATERIALS AND ASSOCIATED
Acquisition Strategy Are Needed Before Development MANUFACTURING PROCESSEs, a report from the Department
Starts, http://www.gao.gov/new.items/d05273.pdf. of Defense, can be received from Manufacturing &
DEFENSE MICROELECTRONICS: DOD-Funded Facilities Technology News by sending a request to editor@
Involved in Research Prototyping or Production, manufacturingnews.com.
http://www.gao.gov/new.items/d05278.pdf.
BROWNFIELDS REDEVELOPMENT: Stakeholders Report that PUBLIC EDUCATION FINANCES 2003 describes how much
EPA’s Program Helps to Redevelop Sites, But Additional each state spends on public elementary school education.
Measures Could Complement Agency Efforts, The 129-page report from the Census Bureau is located at
http://www.gao.gov/new.items/d0594.pdf. http://ftp2.census.gov/govs/school/03f33pub.pdf.
TECHNOLOGY DEVELOPMENT: New DOD Space Science and
Technology Strategy Provides Basis for Optimizing OUTSOURCING AMERICA: HOW OUTSOURCING AND OPEN
Investments, But Future Versions Need to Be More Robust, BORDERS ARE DESTROYING THE AMERICAN MIDDLE CLASS, by
http://www.gao.gov/new.items/d05155.pdf. Paul Streitz, a 341-page book, claims that outsourcing is
TACTICAL AIRCRAFT: Air Force Still Needs Business Case to “destroying the American middle class.” The $22.50 book
Support F/A-22 Quantities and Increased Capabilities, (including postage) can be purchased from Outsourcing
http://www.gao.gov/new.items/d05304.pdf. America, P.O. Box 2360, Darien, Conn., 06820.

The Defense Department’s Under Secretary of Defense FIRM SIZE DATA FROM THE SMALL BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION
for Industrial Policy has recently issued the following describes the number of establishments, employees and
reports: INDUSTRIAL CAPABILITIES REPORT TO CONGRESS annual payroll by industry and state for various sizes of
(March, 2005); DEFENSE INDUSTRIAL BASE CAPABILITIES STUDY: firms. The data show that the number of large companies
PROTECTION (Dec. 2004); FOREIGN SOURCES OF SUPPLY: declined, and the number of small businesses rose in 2002.
ASSESSMENT OF THE U.S. DEFENSE INDUSTRIAL BASE (Nov. The report is located at http://www.sba.gov/advo/
2004); DEFENSE INDUSTRIAL BASE CAPABILITIES STUDY: FORCE research/data.html.
APPLICATION (Oct. 2004); THE VERTICAL LIFT INDUSTRIAL BASE:
OUTLOOK 2004-2014 (July 2004); and DEFENSE INDUSTRIAL 2005 INDEX OF ECONOMIC FREEDOM from the Heritage
BASE CAPABILITIES STUDY: COMMAND & CONTROL (June, 2004). Foundation and the Wall Street Journal finds that the
They are located at http://www.acq.osd.mil/ip/. United States does not rank among the world’s 10 freest
economies in the world for the first time in the index’s 11-
EPA AND STATES NOT MAKING SUFFICIENT PROGRESS IN year history. The U.S. is in 12th place. Hong Kong was first.
REDUCING OZONE PRECURSOR EMISSIONS IN SOME MAJOR Worldwide the scores of 86 countries improved, the scores
METROPOLITAN AREAS (Report 2004-P-00033), a 103-page of 57 declined and the scores of 12 remained the same. For
report from EPA’s inspector general, is located at a copy of the 414-page, $24.95 book, go to
http://www.epa.gov/oig/reports/2004/20040929-2004-P- http://www.heritage.org/index.
00033.pdf.
THE STANDARD OF LIVING IN RIGHT TO WORK STATES
VOLUNTARY REPORTING OF GREENHOUSE GASES 2003, from finds that workers in right-to-work states — typically
the Energy Information Administration, found that 234 southern states that are not conducive to the creation of
U.S. companies and organizations initiated 2,188 projects to unions — have higher household incomes as compared
reduce emissions, resulting in the reduction of 268 million to workers in “forced union” states, when adjusting for
metric tons of carbon dioxide. The 90-page report is cost-of-living indexes and state and local taxes. The 23-
located at http://www.eia.doe.gov/oiaf/1605/vrrpt/ page report from the National Institute for Labor
pdf/0608(03).pdf. Relations Research, is located at http://www.nilrr.org/
Poulson%20SOL%20Study.pdf.

MANUFACTURING & TECHNOLOGY NEWS Wednesday, March 23, 2005 9

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Over The Past Decade, Quality Index
Experiences A ‘Dramatic Drop’

Quality has improved over the past decade, but the lowest rated industries. Local and long-distance
customers’ expectations have increased by a greater phone companies did the worst over the decade,
amount. The American Society for Quality (ASQ) is dropping 9 percent. Airlines were next, dropping 5.8
now 10 years into measuring customer satisfaction with percent, with Southwest declining 5.7 percent. “It
hundreds of goods and services. The survey, which appears customers have not reduced their expectations
costs about $5 million a year to produce, has tracked a as rapidly as the airlines have reduced their service,”
“decade of decline,” says the professional society based says ASQ. McDonald’s rating dropped 5.7 percent.
in Milwaukee.
Perceived quality in the personal computer sector
The American Customer Satisfaction Index declined by 5.5 percent over the past decade, with
“provides evidence of a dramatic drop in service quality Compaq, HP and IBM experiencing the largest
along with an apparent stabilization in product quality,” declines. Dell’s perceived quality improved by 4.4
says ASQ. Overall customer perceptions of quality have percent.
declined by 0.8 percent over the past decade. Product
quality has been stable, though it declined from 86.9 In the automobile category, perceived quality fell 2.1
percent in 1994 to 86.3 percent in 2004. The problem percent, with U.S. companies continuing to struggle
is in the service category, which dropped from 80.3 against Asian and European competitors. “U.S.
percent in 1994 to 78.3 percent in 2004, a 2 percent automakers are driven to compete on price, while the
drop. Euro and Asian competition compete on quality,” says
ASQ. “Competing on price alone is not a viable, long-
“Corporations that provide services versus products term business success strategy.” Hyundai’s perceive
have traditionally been slower to adopt quality quality score increased by 7.6 percent.
improvement programs,” says ASQ. “It’s now ‘catch
up’ time as more nonmanufacturing, service-based For information on the survey, go to
corporations begin to incorporate quality systems into http://www.asq.org.
their operations and adopt quality programs such as
Six Sigma to meet customer needs.” Manufacturing & Technology News editor Richard
McCormack spoke with former ASQ president Jack
Service companies that have adopted Six Sigma West about the 10-year analysis of perceived quality
quality programs — like Starwood Hotels, which and the latest trends in the quality field. West can be
registered a 7.1 percent gain — are doing well. reached at [email protected]. Here is
what he had to say:
Airlines, restaurants and cellular phone services are

Q: If the quality of goods has improved dramatically the way of consulting services, but that’s not what is
over the decade, then what do companies have to do in happening on the B-to-C side. A big trend is to contract
order to satisfy customers with even higher out the service part such as telephone response and
expectations? customer support systems. Since the quality isn’t there
yet some companies like Dell are bringing it back,
West: When you poll people about the quality of a whereas others are saying, “To heck with you,
product such as a PC, an automobile or a television set, customers, suffer.”
they generally perceive the quality to be very high. But
then you throw in the service component and ask: What It will be interesting to see if the B-to-C companies
was your experience with the dealer? What was your continue to outsource the services even though
experience when you called the help line for the customers aren’t happy because if you look at where
computer you purchased? When you ask those companies make their money they make their money on
questions, quality plummets. When you put the two repeat customers.
together, which constitutes the whole experience of
buying a car or computer, then the net is not good. Q: What are the big trends you’ve noticed following
That’s what we’re seeing: the net has suffered because of customer quality expectations over the past 10 years?
the service component.
West: What you see are splits in the marketplace,
In service areas where they have ineffectively tried to where customers go high end or low end. An easy
put automation in place, quality has deteriorated. People example to think about is coffee. Starbucks is packed
don’t like to beep through 17 phone trees. and its coffee is three times more expensive than the
McDonald’s price. The same is happening with Lexus,
Q: One of the important business strategies today is which has a waiting list, while General Motors can’t sell a
for companies to stress services as the growth car to save its life. People are willing to buy high end.
component for their operations. For manufacturers,
service is where they hope to see future growth. What The high end is doing okay with the heavy service
do low marks in service mean for them? component and the hand-holding. The low end seems

West: In B-to-B, they’re working on selling more in (Continued on page 10)

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Q ...UALITY (From page nine) have been going up; Bank of America — same kind of
thing there; Target and Home Depot in the retail arena.
to be okay because they are squeezing the price very You also see it in General Electric’s service side and
hard and people don’t expect much when they pay low they’ve been doing it pretty aggressively for 10 years and
prices. The guys in the middle are getting hurt. they have a lot of experience. They are doing very well
at it. Ford Motor Co. has been at it for a couple of years,
Q: But there are a lot of guys in the middle. The but it doesn’t show up in the measures. You’re seeing it
middle is big. in terms of their internal efficiency measures, but the
customer isn’t seeing it yet.
West: That’s where most of the business is.
Q: Is there a way to measure the implementation rate
Q: What do the guys in the middle do? of these two techniques — Lean and Six Sigma —
West: They have a couple of options. One is you can’t throughout the U.S. business enterprise? Is it still a
tell people to expect a Lexus and sell them a small percentage of companies adopting these
Volkswagen. That’s what is driving a lot of the low programs?
satisfaction. They tell people that this is a wonderful
experience, everything is going to be perfect and then West: There is a lot of anecdotal evidence that says
they find out that it’s not. I don’t know how you tell that virtually every industry is experimenting with them,
people not to expect perfect when they buy your but there is no place you go to register that says I’ve
product, but that is where you start seeing the difficulty. started doing Six Sigma like there is for the ISO
Personal computers are a classic example. They are so standard. So the bottom line is I can’t help you there.
much better than they were a few years ago, but the
advertisement says plug and play and you get it home Q: The quality movement has gone through TQM,
and you plug and it doesn’t play. TOS, Lean, Six Sigma, Baldrige and ISO 9000. Is there
something new coming along?
Q: Is there a successful strategy for companies to use
in this quality dilemma? Should they go high or should West: Not that I know of; I wish I knew. The only
they go low? thing I’m seeing is the fusion of Lean and Six Sigma and
the broadening of the application to health care,
West: There is equal success at both ends. An example education and the service areas. I haven’t seen anything
is in retail. Two retail companies that are very high in in the manufacturing area that I can say, “Here is the
customer satisfaction are Nordstrom and Costco. They next thing that is emerging.” Six Sigma has been around
are at the complete opposite ends of the spectrum. Both for 20 years and lean for 15 — since The Machine that
delineate the expectations clearly and then meet them Changed the World was published in 1990. They continue
effectively. to evolve and grow, but I don’t see the next revolution.

Q: Then you have all those middle-ground retailers. Q: Does anybody care about the Baldrige National
West: That’s why Sears got killed. They couldn’t Quality Award nowadays?
decide if they were upscale or downscale and they tried
to do both and just got killed. When you’re in a West: The companies that use Baldrige — and there
declining market share situation, you don’t have any are still a lot of them that do — tend to use it as an
extra resources to start pumping into improved services internal mechanism because they see the cost of
and quality, and consequently you’re in a situation of applying [for the award] as being fairly significant, and it
trying to pull yourself up by your bootstraps. is. It takes several man-months of effort to put together
an application. You don’t see very many applications
from the Fortune 500 any more.

Q: What are the latest trends in the quality arena? Q: Why?
West: The major thrust has been the incorporation of West: I think it’s because it costs a lot of money. It
the synergy between two quality improvement toolsets: takes a lot of effort. Then you have to ask yourself where
one is the Toyota Manufacturing System, which most is the return on the investment from winning?
people call Lean, with the fusion of Six Sigma. You see
many of the traditional manufacturers using them to Q: You have to do a lot of show-and-tells.
work on the product side of the house and now they are West: Yes, a lot, because I worked for Westinghouse
using them on what the Lean folks call above the floor when they were a winner and we did a lot of them.
— the white collar, service side of the house. It’s making
a big difference. Q: How is the American Society for Quality doing?
West: Okay. The quality discipline has been hurt
Q: Is it a noticeable, measurable difference? somewhat as the manufacturing area has gone down. So
West: Yes, it is a noticeable, measurable difference, there are more quality professionals in manufacturing
and you see it in the organizations that have been than there were in service. But now we’re starting to
working it for a while. pick up membership from the service arena. If you look
at the entire set of the professional societies we’re doing
Q: Any come to mind? very well, but compared to where we were six or seven
West: On the service side, Sheraton Hotels has been years ago, we’re not as healthy.
using Six Sigma for quite a while and their quality scores

11 Wednesday, March 23, 2005 MANUFACTURING & TECHNOLOGY NEWS

WWW.MANUFACTURINGNEWS.COM

Choosing the Manufacturing Bill None of these
Manufacturing Extension “substantial costs” is

Partnership (MEP) as its Starts Its Way mentioned in President
vehicle, a House Science Bush’s 2006 budget
subcommittee last week request, said Ehlers,

embarked on an attempt to Through Congress expressing the hope that
remedy at least one aspect the reporting requirement

of the discontent that the might affect the

committee has expressed BY KEN JACOBSON administration’s
with the administration’s perspective on ATP by

budget request for programs within its purview. focusing its attention on them.

On March 15, its Subcommittee on Environment, But Rep. Mark Udall (D-Colo.) countered that

Technology, and Standards approved by voice vote, and congressional appropriators may well have acted before

apparently without opposition, the Manufacturing the first report, to be due within three months of the

Technology Competitiveness Act of 2005 (H.R. 250), enactment of the bill, arrives. The delivery of the second

which would authorize $110 million for MEP in fiscal report would coincide with the presentation of the

year 2006. president’s 2007 budget to Congress.

That sum is more than twice the $46.8 million Udall, noting “widespread support for ATP” within

requested in the administration’s proposed budget and the Science Committee, pronounced himself “ready,

improves slightly on the current-year appropriation of willing, and charged up to work” on getting the

$107.5 million. In addition, the bill would provide MEP program funded — a declaration perhaps meant to

slight increases for the following two years, to $115 draw GOP colleagues toward what the panel’s

million in 2007 and $120 million in 2008. Democrats see as their own, more proactive stance.

The tenor of the markup and the result of the vote Authorization for funding of the NIST labs is

left little doubt of the agreement within the panel that contained in H.R. 250 as well, and it mirrors the

more should be done to support technology than the administration’s budget request to the penny, calling for

White House has proposed. Still, differences between $426.3 million for laboratory activities and $58.9 million

Republicans and Democrats — in tactics, if not for construction. These sums would subsequently rise

necessarily in goals — were likewise discernible. slightly under the bill, the former reaching $447.6

The panel’s ranking minority member, Rep. David million in 2007 and $457 million in 2008, the latter

Wu of Oregon, noted that although the Science $61.8 million in 2007 and $63.4 in 2008.

Committee is “a strong supporter” of the Advanced Other provisions of H.R. 250 would:

Technology Program (ATP), no funding for the • “Establish an Interagency Committee on

imperiled program was included in the bill. This Manufacturing Research and Development to

omission, he argued, “implicitly endorses the president’s coordinate federal manufacturing R&D efforts.” The

decision to eliminate ATP.” committee’s description conforms remarkably to that of

But the subcommittee’s chairman, Rep. Vernon the existing Interagency Working Group on

Ehlers of Michigan, said his fear that “adding ATP Manufacturing R&D, chaired by Undersecretary of

might jeopardize the passage of the bill and the Commerce for Technology Phil Bond [see March 9

authorization of MEP” had proved out with the demise M&TN, p.7].

in the Senate of a very similar bill last year. • “Establish a three-year cost-shared, collaborative

The version of that measure passed by the House had manufacturing R&D pilot grant program at NIST,

no ATP provision, he recalled, but after the program’s funded at $10 million per year for FY 2006, FY 2007,

Senate champion, then-Sen. Ernest Hollings (D-S.C.), and FY 2008.

had added one, the bill died there. Ehlers, describing • “Establish a post-doctoral and senior research

himself as a supporter of ATP as well as of MEP, fellowship program in manufacturing sciences at NIST,

indicated that he was reluctant to see that happen again. funded beginning at $1.5 million in FY 2006 and

Besides, he suggested that a “positive impact on ATP” increasing to $2 million in FY 2008.”

might result from a provision in the bill

calling for a pair of reports from the (Continued from page one)

China Commission...Secretary of Commerce on the possible
financial burden of ATP’s elimination
industrial development will have on U.S. R&D spending, “and the
on the laboratory programs at the
implications of that impact for future innovation and U.S. technological
Commerce Department’s National
Institute of Standards and Technology leadership.” It would analyze China’s influence on the U.S. financial
sector, including financial markets, stock values, long-term interest rates
(NIST), where ATP is housed.

The cost to NIST of an orderly and the U.S. inflation rate.

shutdown of ATP has been estimated at The commission says it “expects the model to provide estimates of

between $70 million and $90 million: short- and long-term impacts of various modeling outcomes. To the

$12-18 million in employee severance; extent it is possible to provide them, the commission is interested in
$13 million in funding that has come to estimates of various outcomes over one, three, five, 10 and 25 years.”
NIST’s labs from ATP on an annual
The due date for proposals is April 29. To view the RFP, go to
basis; and an additional $40-60 million http://www.uscc.gov.
if ATP honors existing grants in full.

MANUFACTURING & TECHNOLOGY NEWS Wednesday, March 23, 2005 12

WWW.MANUFACTURINGNEWS.COM

Aeronautics R&D... Other expressions of concern were aired at the
(From page one) hearing. According to John Hansman, director of MIT’s
International Center for Air Transportation, although
airplanes and parts improved the U.S. trade balance by the nation’s air-transportation system received a respite
$23.7 billion, mitigating an overall deficit of $37 billion when air traffic fell off in the wake of 9/11, it is again as
in what the Commerce Department defines as stretched as it was in 2000 and 2001, when “air traffic
“advanced technology products,” according to an control delays were...[a] critical problem.”
analysis of trade data by Charles McMillion of MBG
Information Services. “We actually project that the system will go into
gridlock, probably in the summer either of 2007 or
“While U.S. aeronautics research and test programs 2008,” he noted. “We’ll see issues emerging next
are declining, countries in Europe and elsewhere are summer.” For a country whose citizens and businesses
investing heavily in aeronautics research,” observed are highly dependent on air transportation — aviation is
Rep. Jo Ann Davis, a Republican who represents the estimated to account for around 8 percent to 9 percent
Virginia district in which one of NASA’s main of the economy — the prospect is anything but welcome.
aeronautics facilities, NASA Langley Research Center, is
located. In the face of such misgivings, Victor Lebacqz, NASA’s
associate administrator for Aeronautics Research, told
Rep. Dennis Kucinich, a Democrat whose Ohio the panel that the 2006 budget request “fully supports
district is home to another such facility, NASA Glenn, aeronautics program priority research in the areas of
stated that “NASA’s aeronautics research is important reducing aircraft noise, increasing aviation safety and
because NASA is able to develop long-term, high-risk security and increasing the capacity of the national
enabling technologies that the private sector is unwilling airspace system.”
to perform because it’s too risky or too expensive,”
adding: “This has historically been the role of To make sure that its research is fully funded despite
government-sponsored research.” the 6 percent budget cut, ARMD intends to rein in the

research’s scope, especially in the

U.S. Aeronautics Research: largest of its three programs, the
Vehicle Systems Program (VSP).

As part of an effort at

Is It Seed Corn Or Is It Whiskey? “transforming itself ” that may prove a
model for ARMD’s two other
programs, Airspace Systems and
Last week’s House Science subcommittee hearing on NASA’s research Aviation Safety & Security, VSP will
in aeronautics was not without a partisan scuffle. But the tiff, rather than reduce investment in numerous areas,
being a classic Democratic-Republican tussle, pitted partisans of the among them conventional subsonic
agency’s aeronautics mission against a partisan of its space plans. aircraft technology, and eliminate
rotorcraft research, whose expansion
After Reps. Jo Ann Davis (R-Va.) and Dennis Kucinich (D-Ohio) had the report by Kleinberg’s NAS panel
displayed bipartisan accord in testifying against budget cuts that would urged.
affect NASA aeronautics research conducted in their districts,
subcommittee member Dana Rohrabacher (R-Calif.) switched on his Instead, VSP will focus on
microphone. research in four areas it sees as
promising “breakthrough flight
A longtime space-program enthusiast whose district houses aerospace demonstrations” in the relatively near
industry interests, Rohrabacher pointedly asked his two colleagues future: subsonic noise reduction;
“which part of the NASA budget they would like to take the money from sonic-boom mitigation; a
in order to bolster” NASA’s aeronautics activities. “revolutionary” zero-emissions
hydrogen fuel-cell powered aircraft
Not satisfied when neither even came close to naming an offset, with cryogenic electronic motors
Rohrabacher declared: “It’s very easy to advocate spending more money. embedded in its wings; and a High-
It’s very difficult to find prudent ways of trimming things from the Altitude Long-Endurance Remotely
budget. I’ve been here 16 years now, and I don’t remember even one Operated Aircraft (HALE ROA)
witness who was able...to come up with some idea of where” money capable of flights of two weeks’
was not “being spent wisely” and thus would be “better spent on the duration above 18,000 feet.
program they were advocating.”
Still, VSP has to compensate for a
Kucinich, who had just represented aeronautics as “the one area budget that is projected to decline
where we can grow our economy” and called NASA “the path out of a steeply over four years: From $641.4
budget deficit,” replied: “What we’re doing would be akin to asking a million in fiscal year 2004, it dropped
farmer to save money by throwing away some of his seed corn.” to $568.6 million in 2005; has seen a
request of $459.1 million for 2006;
“Or maybe to get rid of the whiskey allotment that he uses for and is to fall to $373.6 million in 2007.
holidays?” Rohrabacher suggested. The administration’s 2006 budget
request seems to recognize that there
“I think that NASA can hardly be accused of spending money like could be consequences.
someone who is interested in self-enjoyment,” replied Kucinich, who
appeared somewhat astonished. Notwithstanding VSP’s 2006

Rep. Randy Forbes (R-Va.) jumped between the two. “I think Mr. (Continued on next page)
Rohrabacher is exactly right, this should be about looking at priorities,”
he stated. “I just don’t believe that aeronautical research is quite akin to
a whiskey allotment.”

13 Wednesday, March 23, 2005 MANUFACTURING & TECHNOLOGY NEWS

WWW.MANUFACTURINGNEWS.COM

R&D Budget...(From page two) “concerned”: “disappointed that the Administration has
again included no funds for the program in the budget
provided to foot the bill for ice breaking expenses request,” and “concerned that the proposed budget does

not even fund the costs associated with closing the
currently paid by the U.S. Coast Guard, so the increase program.”
for NSF in reality comes to about 1.5 percent.”
As a consequence, it argues, apparent increases for the
On top of that, the panel says, this raise would leave laboratories of the National Institute of Standards and
the overall budget at NSF, which took a 3.1 percent cut Technology (NIST), which manages ATP, would be
in the current fiscal year, at 1 percent below its 2004
corroded. The $20 million cost of terminating ATP
level. “The Foundation now funds only about 20 percent employees “would have to be absorbed” by the labs,
of the proposals it receives,” it observes, “down from the which would also lose about $13 million in annual
33 percent level that had held for many years.”
income derived from ATP’s own use of lab facilities.
And while the administration says “the President’s
Also leaving the Science Committee “disappointed”
Budget seeks to attract the most promising U.S. students was the administration’s request for MEP, another
into science and engineering programs by providing
program managed by NIST. At $47 million, the
more competitive graduate stipends” through NSF, the proposed funding would cut a 56 percent hole in the
committee points out that the agency’s “overall
current $107 million appropriation for MEP, described
investment in education” would fall 12 percent, from
by the panel as having “demonstrated its effectiveness as
$841.4 million in 2005 to $737 million in 2006 — a
the only program that offers direct technical assistance
prospect that leaves it “especially disturbed.”
to small- and medium-sized manufacturers to help them
When it comes to the Department of Commerce’s
in a globalized economy.”
long-embattled Advanced Technology Program (ATP),
Even where the panel pronounces itself “pleased,” as
rather than “disturbed” the panel is “disappointed” and it does in the case of a 23 percent proposed increase in

funding for the Science & Technology
Aeronautics... Advancement of Sciences (AAAS). Directorate at the Department of
But the reduction in support for Homeland Security (DHS), it can’t
(Continued from page 12) aeronautics research, as well as
avoid furrowing its brow a bit.
transformation cum reduction, the “steep cuts in environmental,
“Risk Management” section of the biological, and physical sciences “The Committee remains

concerned about the balance between
request signals the eventuality of research” at NASA were proposed short- and long-term research
by the administration “in order to programs at DHS,” it states. “The
further research cuts: “Given shift resources toward solar system requested funding for university

significant cost overrun/schedule exploration and R&D on moon

slip in a project deliverable,” it programs and for research on
warns, “there is the possibility that and Mars mission technologies.” emerging threats is flat. The Committee
lower priority activities may be NASA’s strategy clearly left the is concerned that if DHS does not make
ranking minority member of the and maintain investments in longer-
descoped or eliminated.” subcommittee, Rep. Mark Udall of term basic research, including research

The paucity of funds for Colorado, unimpressed. Describing at universities, the next generation of

aeronautics at NASA stands in
sharp contrast to the overall picture Lebacqz’s obligation to win over homeland security technologies will not
at the agency, whose proposed 1.6 legislators as a “somewhat thankless be available to counter the next
percent increase “after a much task,” he said of NASA’s direction: generation of threats.”
“We seem to be headed down a
larger boost in 2005” constitutes The Views and Estimates of the
“favored treatment in the federal path that could result in the loss of House Committee on Science can be
budget,” according to an analysis a vital national capability if we
by the American Association for the aren’t careful.” found in their entirety at

http://www.house.gov/science/

committeeinfo/06Views.pdf.

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MANUFACTURING & TECHNOLOGY NEWS Wednesday, March 23, 2005 14

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Equipment Manufacturers Claim ton, compared to $575 per ton on
the world spot market and $515 per
Steel Industry’s Gain Is Their Loss ton in China, which is now the
world’s largest consumer and
producer of steel.
“Distortions in the steel market, forecast to be near 100 percent
In hearings this month and next,
including the record high price of globally by 2005,” says MEMA.
MEMA will tell the International
steel, are being fostered by the U.S. “Automotive suppliers by contrast
Trade Commission to sunset anti-
government and are causing a crisis are seeing their utilization decline
dumping and countervailing duty
that has impacted automotive and due in part to decreased availability, orders on specific steel commodities
heavy duty suppliers across the reduced quality and delayed
as a first step to providing a level
country, triggering unprecedented deliveries of steel.”
playing field for U.S. companies that
bankruptcies and job losses,” says a Steel prices in the United States use steel.

new report from the Motor & remain higher than in the rest of the To view the MEMA analysis, go to

Equipment Manufacturers world, the automotive trade group http://www.mema.org/news/released

Association (MEMA). complains. The cost of hot-rolled etail.php?id=116.

U.S. steel producers had record steel in January 2005 was $695 per

earnings in 2004, leading to market Welcome Ken Jacobson

value increases of 60 percent or
more for the largest companies.

“Meanwhile, automotive suppliers Joining the editorial staff with this issue is Ken Jacobson. His arrival at

continue to face bankruptcies and Manufacturing & Technology News marks a professional reunion with

worker layoffs,” says MEMA. This Editor Richard McCormack, as the two worked side by side at King

disparity is expected to continue Publishing Group in Washington, D.C., a decade ago. In 1993, Richard

through 2005, with the steel handed the reins of New Technology Week to Ken, who then served as

industry able to raise prices and pass editor until 1998.
increased raw material costs to
As you will soon discover by reading his work, Ken is a pro. Before
customers, MEMA worries.
plunging into the world of Washington journalism in the early 1990s,
“Automotive suppliers do not have
Ken had been a wire service reporter in the Netherlands, a general
the market power to pass their
business reporter in Paris, and the editor of a New York-based
higher steel costs onto their
publication covering the mining and metals industries. In a career that
customers, particularly in view of the began with a job writing sports in his San Francisco Bay Area hometown,
competition that suppliers face from he has also reported on assignment from Latin America and published a
imports of automotive parts,” says
work of non-fiction.
MEMA, the largest trade group
Feel free to call Ken in his Washington office at 202-462-2472. He can
representing automotive suppliers.
be reached by e-mail at [email protected]. Both Ken and I
Steel industry capacity utilization
are available for breakfast, lunch, dinner, coffee or drinks — “off the
is at a 10-year high, rising to 94
record” — at any time.
percent in 2004, up from 79 percent
in 2001. “Utilization rates are — RICHARD MCCORMACK

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SPACE NEWS 19

The NRO and the USAF:September4,2006
Integration in Search of a Purpose
< >ROBBIN LAIRD
Some new perspective is needed in the
seemingly endless debate about the in- the salience of the black versus the gray understands the imperative of shifting his in order to be able to perform these joint
tegration of so called black and white world of intelligence. And most significant- organization towards a service culture. “To- functions. And the national security space
space, a term that usually refers to getting ly, in an era of network operations the deci- day’s users are fundamentally different. organization must be better connected with
the National Reconnaissance Office sion-making system is becoming more de- They now demand information, not data. the air-breathing and ground-based ISR
(NRO) and the U.S. Air Force (USAF) to centralized with a dramatic shift in the need Furthermore, they want fused, multi-disci- (intelligence, surveillance and reconnais-
accomplish their very different missions in to support differentiated decision-making pline, multi-phenomenology information sance) providers in the national security
space without excess duplication of effort. systems. tailored to their specific areas of interest community as well.
and particular problems. And they want it
During the tenure of former Deputy In effect, a shift is in place from a pri- now,” states the NRO Strategic Framework, The evolution of the space business sug-
Secretary of the Air Force Peter B. Teets, he macy on infrastructure construction and released in April. gests changes which the national security
served as a single point of contact for intel- management to becoming a service sector. space community needs to make as well.
ligence and space systems. After his depar- The space-based domain of the NRO and But to do what Kerr wants requires an in- Historically, space companies have been
ture, they were separated again with the the U.S. Air Force space command is be- tegrated architecture supporting the com- shaped by the launch and satellite manu-
NRO and Air Force seeking alternative ways coming more network and cyber-oriented. munity of national security users, civilian, facturing businesses. The evolution of the
to provide for greater integration of the ac- Air-breathing systems and ground support commercial, military and intelligence. The space business over the decade ahead will
quisition of space assets. But the core ques- capabilities are becoming of equal signifi- growing gap between the U.S. government be shaped by constellations, systems, soft-
tion of any integration effort is to deter- cance to the global enterprise of actionable and the global community — notably, the ware and service models. And the commer-
mine why one is integrating, for what intelligence. commercial and homeland security commu- cial sector will drive change in the service
purpose and what capability one seeks to nities — will only exacerbate the need to approaches, which the national security
deliver from an integrated effort. The term actionable intelligence is a bit shape an appropriate integrated architec- community must adapt to as well, notably in
of a misnomer — the key requirement is to ture for intelligent action, rather than pro- the communications, weather and sensor
The goal of merging black and white reshape decision-making systems so that vide for intelligence shaped as actionable by domains.
space is not to bring together two histori- timely actions can be taken against evolving a rigidified systems. The danger is that the
cally significant organizations that had threats. This recalls the ancient Greek con- United States will rely more on advancing In short, the purpose of integration is to
been built up for Cold War needs and turn cept of ethos — the challenge of determin- technology and less on collaborative rela- create a service-oriented national space
them into a new mutant variant that is still ing whether an argument is valid or not. tionships to provide for intelligent decisions. community. The community would be built
more relevant to history than the future. The errors in judgment about the weapons around the provision of capabilities to an ex-
The core requirement is to provide for a of mass destruction in Iraq was not a failure A single national security space organi- panding set of service clients. The space ar-
single architecture to meet the needs of dis- of intelligence but a failure of ethos — an zation clearly needs to be created to shape chitecture would be crafted around capabil-
parate national security users — both mili- ability for decision makers to determine an integrated architecture and to provide a ities-based procurement, not stovepiped
tary and civilian. What has changed in the correctly a valid argument in a sea of con- clear set of acquisition rules and approach- programs. The architecture would be com-
post-Cold War environment is the nature of flicting data. es. The patchwork of programs that have plementary in character to the evolving
those needs. Civilian, intelligence and mili- historically made up the national security non-space systems — this complementary
tary agencies all have requirements for The U.S. intelligence community and its space community needs to be terminated. approach would be shaped by a dramatic ex-
global situational awareness, actionable in- U.S. Air Force space counterparts continue pansion in the role of the user communities.
telligence and a capability to support time- to stovepipe acquisition systems. There Capabilities-based procurement needs
ly and effective actions against evolving clearly can never be a service culture when to become the order of the day. Only with The goal would not be to provide for the
global threats. Fixed sights and targets are hardware or program decisions are domi- the creation of a strategic organization can most advanced technologies providing data
of reduced importance. nated by System Program Offices, that have a strategic dialogue with the user commu- to cloistered intelligence analysts; rather
no strategic context within which to deter- nity become effective. The national securi- the focus would be upon providing the
Non-state actors have enhanced signifi- mine how decisions can be taken that aug- ty space organization needs to have a core most effective information to timely deci-
cance. An ability to share information with ment the capability of new systems to con- user panel shaping strategic choices and sion-making.
civilian and commercial partners, such as in tribute to an overall architecture serving all guiding capabilities-based procurement. Robbin Laird is a Washington- and Paris-based defense aero-
the maritime security domain, is reducing user needs. The current National Security Space Office
could be transformed and give more power space consultant.
Don Kerr, the new NRO director, clearly

In response to Donald Beattie’s Exploration Goals funded at a relatively slow and
reopened discussion of our < >DAVID L. RANSOM steady rate, consistent with the
nation’s vision for space ex- secondary level of importance in
ploration [“Letter: Are NASA’s explorer, and what is that explor- Clearly, it is Congress. Congress å Continue to expand our the eyes of the financier. This re-
Space Exploration Goals Right?” er’s motivation? In the absence of must answer to the American pub- knowledge of the universe, and quires focus and creative use of
July 10, page 18], I think it’s im- von Braun, who now leads our na- lic, and I think it’s safe to say that the beginnings of our own solar resources. Instead of the huge
portant to look at the fundamen- tion’s vision for exploration? Per- space exploration is not high on system. flotilla of ships bound for Mars
tal characteristics of true explo- sonally, I think it’s most likely the nation’s list of programs to first envisioned by von Braun,
ration. As demonstrated by Robert Zubrin. After reading the fund. The only reason it ever was As great as these sound, they what about a building-block ap-
Christopher Columbus, Lewis Case for Mars, I am convinced he high on the list had so much more are still secondary motivations. proach, allowing us to spread ex-
and Clark, and most recently has a clear vision for exploration. to do with our nation’s security Therefore, we should expect sec- ploration costs over a longer pe-
Wernher von Braun, true explo- It is a vision motivated by a desire than it did exploration. Is our na- ondary funding. riod of time? Instead of returning
ration requires two lead roles: the to explore the unexplored, to ex- tion’s current security, standard of to the Moon, how about sending
undaunted explorer with a vision plore new methods of explo- living or prominence in the world The key then, is to find an ex- a chemical plant to Mars to ex-
and a true desire to go where no ration, and truly a vision that will dependent on our space explo- ploration strategy that is most plore our ability to generate fuel,
one has ever gone before; and the challenge a whole new genera- ration endeavors? Since we are the consistent with the motivations of oxygen and water on another
financier to make it happen. tion of Americans. leading nation in space explo- the explorer and the financier. planet? That is true exploration
ration, I would say not. So, what is This strategy should involve ex- and doesn’t require primary level
It’s interesting to note that the On the other hand, perhaps the motivation then? ploration of new places, not the funding.
motivations of the explorer and we don’t have a single explorer old stomping ground. It should
the financier do not have to be identified at this time. Perhaps he There are certainly a number involve the development of new Whatever is decided, I think
consistent. Take Sergei P. Korolev or she is waiting in the wings, just of secondary reasons to maintain technologies that allow us to ex- the success of the program will
for example. He was funded for looking for an opportunity to be a space exploration program: plore in methods we have not al- depend on how well it satisfies
developing missiles, but managed heard. If that’s the case, then we ready used, such as in-situ re- the motivations of both the ex-
to squeeze Sputnik into the proj- must find that person. I’m con- å Motivate new generations to source utilization. It should allow plorer and the financier. So, let’s
ect, consistent with his own vision vinced that exploration by com- pursue degrees/careers in sci- us to learn more about our solar start by identifying the explorer,
of space exploration. So, how mittee is not going to achieve ence and technology. system, such as we would learn and respect the motivations of
does this view of exploration re- much. from searching for life on anoth- the financier as we make our fu-
late to our current situation? To å Develop new technologies er planet. ture plans.
answer this, I think we need to What about the financier? that can be applied to Earth- David L. Ransom is a senior research engineer
look at the motivations of both bound problems. At the same time, it must be
the explorer and the financier. at the Southwest Research Institute in
San Antonio.
The first question is, who is the

MILITARY LOGISTICS INTERNATIONAL

TRANSFORMED LOGISTICS – THE ART OF
“CONFIGURATION CONTROL”

MLI talks to outgoing US Under
Secretary of Defense (Acquisition,
Technology and Logistics) Michael
Wynne about his view of the knotty
problems of logistics.

“Basically, I need faster, more efficient, more creative
solutions to my logistical problems – what do I do with the
thousands of empty pallets sitting on the docks in the Middle
East? Right now for instance, we are really opening the
market for Radio Frequency Identification – and are busily
looking for inventive data solutions to extend this technology
beyond this current spectrum. This is high tech, pushing the
state of the art – and the market is broad. This is
knowledge-based logistics.

“I would also like to point out that the answers to these A number of his decisions on the launch of new
problems would have far less technology transfer issues. So programmes or the modernisation of older ones has
while the market for platforms continues to face pressure, the included logistics considerations. For example, the decision
market in information usage is expanding. to build the new Aerial Common Sensor (ACS) for the
Army was turned into a joint requirement with the Navy
“It’s true that the military is going through a major because Wynne saw the advantages to having the same
transformation. Our war fighters are becoming more and aircraft used in both services, especially having a common
more sophisticated and are relying more and more on high logistics footprint. When the aircraft turned out to be an
tech solutions to aiming and shooting at their targets. Embraer product, the advantages logistically were even
more evident. Embraer is sold worldwide and as the US
“But they still need clothes, they still need food, they still changes its basing strategy, many believe that global
need shelter. And if we can’t assure them to trust the receipt support would be easier with a widely used commercial
of sustaining logistics on time, all the high tech gadgets in product rather than a specialised military one.
the world won’t help them to independently manoeuvre and
destroy their targets. If you are looking for a wide-open Indeed for Wynne, the ability to tap the commercial
place to do business with the United States Department of marketplace is a key part of his logistics vision. A number
Defense, look no further than the field of logistics.” of his logistics initiatives draw upon commercial
technologies. Wynne believes that military specifications
Remarks by Michael Wynne at the are often the enemy of common sense and a key
Royal United Service Institute, 27 October 2004 contributor to logistics failures. Thus adopting commercial
standards can also help improve logistics.
As both the Deputy Undersecretary and the Acting
Undersecretary of Defense for Acquisition, For this reason, Wynne has been a keen proponent of the
Technology and Logistics, Wynne has viewed logistics Network Centric Operations Industry Consortium (which
reform as a crucial enabler of global operations. now has more than 40 members worldwide). Military
networks that leverage the commercial standards used by
Indeed, Wynne has focused much of his attention on the consortium allows for leveraging common
shifting procurement away from the big new programmes technological investments.
towards support for the enablers of conventional
operations worldwide. And logistics is the most central of
those enablers.

7 MAY/JUNE 2005

MILITARY LOGISTICS INTERNATIONAL

In an interview conducted in February 2005 at his confidence in and have a ‘transparent’ approach to the
Pentagon Office, Wynne underscored the central supply chain, then they can trust the process. If they trust
significance of logistics to strategy, military capability and the process, then they can focus their logistic spending
procurement reform. wisely. Every dollar freed up by a knowledge-based or
trusted agent system allows more front line capability to be
Wynne is well known for placing a strong emphasis upon created and supported.”
the importance of logistics in an era of expeditionary
operations. At the heart of Wynne’s thinking is the Q: How do the new ideas in logistics affect military
challenge for US forces in co-operation with its allies to strategy?
effectively manage deployments. Logistics reform is at the
heart of such an effort. Although he is best known for his “A new knowledge-based, trusted agent approach to
championing technical initiatives, such as Radio logistics allows faster and more effective manoeuvre
Frequency Identification (RFID) and Unique capabilities. For example, interviews with captured
Identification (UID), Wynne also believes that Taliban forces in Afghanistan underscored the effect of
organisational innovation is at the heart of overcoming rapidity of supply on military operations. Interviewees
challenges. underscored that they would rather be pursued by regular
US Army units than US Special Forces. Why? The
Q: Why is logistics so central to your thinking? general Army could not move much beyond its bivouac
points. Special Forces, on the other hand, moved rapidly
“Logistics needs to be the first, not the last, consideration and the logistics system followed them. A trusted agent
in thinking about military capabilities and programmes. In supply system was put in place whereby the Special Forces
a sense, logistics has always been important. As Napoleon had confidence that they could move directly against the
underscored, an army travels on its stomach. Logistics is Taliban with logistics to be provided on route. In other
an integral component of military structure. words, logistics allows or limits strategic options for the
military and for the evolution of expeditionary capability.”
“But what has made the contemporary logistics challenge
different is the shift in military doctrine and approach Q: How important is technology to this process?
from mass to manoeuvre. Also, the reach of the logistics
chain is greater in a global expeditionary framework. “The key challenge is to empower the manoeuvre
Inventory and transportation costs far exceed the cost of logistician as the combat power manager. To do this
producing the goods needed by operational forces.” requires the formation of a framework whereby he has the
knowledge and systems control to put together a trusted
Q: How do you shape new approaches? agent system. Technologies like RFID and UID are
necessary but not sufficient tools to assist in the process of
“First of all, one can rely on modern techniques and supporting the manoeuvre logistician.”
approaches to logistics. In the commercial sphere there is
an increasing reliance in ‘just-in-time’ delivery. But this Q: But are you not emphasising organisational
rests upon having innovation facilit-
‘trusted agents’ or ated by technology
suppliers in the and not the other
logistic chain. If way around?
manufacturers and
retailers can rely on “Yes. The key
their suppliers, they objective is confi-
do not have to have guration control
significant inventory [jargon for managing
stored in place. change]. We need to
be able on the
“A similar approach operational level to
configure forces to
is necessary for the expeditionary
task. And a new
the military. The approach and system
of logistics is crucial
challenge is to build to this challenge.”

a trusted agent

approach to logistics.

If the front line

troops have

MAY/JUNE 2005 8

SPACE NEWS 33

The Challenge to CongressNovember13,2006 and NASA: Building
a Successful Space Program Together
< >DAVE MCCURDY
NASA and Congress have been given
the challenge of designing, author- ception for programs whose cost growth ex- repairable. It also does not seem to take into and repeating past mistakes, Congress
izing, funding, organizing and exe- ceeded the acquisition baseline by at least 15 account the fact that the space agency builds should instead direct the agencies to review
cuting a successful space program that not percent. and procures a limited number of individ- the myriad inter-related causes of program
only has the broad support of the American ual systems as opposed to DoD’s massive, overruns, as well as the implications for in-
public, but also can deliver on the goal of ex- In 2005, Congress recognized that part of multiyear weapons programs. By imposing novation and program success. Increased
panding our knowledge base through the the original problem had been an unwieldy these stringent limitations, Congress has es- budget pressures, a mismatch between
further discovery and exploration of space. requirements process that had burdened sentially handcuffed NASA’s ability to man- funding and programs, and growing
As the “Report of the Advisory Committee programs with increasing technical chal- age essential but challenging programs. research-and-development costs combine
on the Future of the U.S. Space Program” lenges which, when unchecked, resulted in to present enormous future challenges for
stated, such a program requires a culture of increased costs and delays. As a result, Con- Although the pursuit of excellence is the congressional policymakers.
excellence and risk-taking. gress revised the Nunn-McCurdy provision goal, the burden still rests with NASA lead-
to limit the Pentagon’s ability to redefine a ership to manage the cost and schedule of The key is to reduce risk and contract for
In the 1980s, when I served in the U.S. program’s cost baseline against which cost programs. The National Polar-orbiting Op- performance using contract types and in-
Congress, the House Armed Services Com- increases are to be measured. It is estimated erational Environmental Satellite System centive mechanisms consistent with that
mittee panel that I chaired was given the that next year, more than 50 DoD weapon (NPOESS), an important national initiative, risk. Congress should allow NASA to spend
task of addressing several cost issues, which programs will breach the Nunn-McCurdy has breached the congressionally mandated more on basic research, ensure the devel-
arose during the period of the Reagan era thresholds as a result of baseline adjustments thresholds. Under Nunn-McCurdy, DoD opment of mature technology and fix re-
defense buildup. In fact, at that time, a num- and problematic performance. The goal of must certify that the program is essential quirements before moving ahead to full-
ber of major weapon systems appeared to be the original provision remains: to improve and bests any alternative approach. It can be scale missions. Congress must also exercise
plagued by a series of cost overruns and oversight through greater transparency and argued, however, that NASA management the discipline necessary to reduce the pro-
schedule delays — most notably the Black management of major programs. does not have comparable flexibility to get a liferation of parochial earmarks, and move
Hawk helicopter and Patriot Missile System. handle on the program and develop a viable beyond those earmarks to provide manage-
The panel’s review took place amidst re- More recently Congress imposed a new plan to proceed before Congress starts to ment tools that identify critical choices and
ports that the government had procured set of cost-control guidelines on NASA, earmark programs that, in turn, compete elevate them to the level at which they will
$500 hammers and $600 toilet seats for the modeled on Nunn-McCurdy. However, the for scarce resources. NASA, NOAA, DoD command the attention of politically re-
Department of Defense (DoD). NASA provision goes well beyond Nunn- and Congress share the responsibility for de- sponsible leaders.
McCurdy by imposing an automatic ax on ploying critical systems and must work to-
As a result of our review, Congress enact- those technology programs that experience gether to design a viable plan, and then ad- Dave McCurdy is the president and chief executive officer of
ed the Nunn-McCurdy provision as part of 30 percent or greater cost overruns. NASA, just contracts and schedules accordingly. the Electronic Industries Alliance. He served in the U.S. House
the 1983 Defense Authorization Act. This and other critical space programs in DoD NASA has long served as this nation’s en-
provision established a relatively simple and intelligence, must build systems that will gine of innovation. of Representatives from 1981-1995. During his tenure in the
“management by exception” reporting ex- operate in the most extreme conditions and House, he chaired the Intelligence Committee and subcommit-
are not — with the exception of Hubble — Rather than imposing arbitrary cutoffs tees of the Armed Services and Science & Space Committees.

Realistic Space Power Strategy Needed
< >ROBBIN LAIRD
The long-awaited Bush Ad- ership might now become — the stellations, Internet protocols, creased reliance on the middle of
ministration national space ability to work with others, to lever- cooperation, space exploration Earth observation systems, new the network — especially air-
policy is a statement of the age their approaches, to gain will not be affordable or doable in communication links and systems breathing — will shift the require-
past dressed up 21st century garb. knowledge of what others are do- the two decades ahead. The re- supported by new launch systems ments for space systems, but not re-
The dramatically changing context ing and to focus U.S. resources on sources and technology are not redefine the commercial space duce their importance. As the U.S.
of space policy for this century is capabilities which others are not there; others will compete with us. business beyond recognition. With shifts towards smaller, and more
missing in action. The United likely to duplicate. Scarce exploration resources will the nano- and micro-electronics discrete insertion of forces, an abil-
States is asserted to be the domi- be frittered away; these resources revolutions accelerating, accompa- ity to link modularforce packages
nant space player with a right to The key is to engage in a strate- could be combined under an en- nied by new materials technolo- together will grow in significance
“freedom of action” in a period of gy of “co-opetition” — working lightened U.S. exploration ap- gies, new space capabilities will — and space will be the connector.
robust national space exploration with others to better position one proach, which accepts partnership emerge. To play this connective role, space
and commercial space revival. The for investments in breakthrough as indispensable to an exploration policy will require an ability to
only thing wrong with this docu- capabilities which others are not strategy and not a sideshow to fol- The evolution of just-in-time leverage a diversity of military and
ment is its misguided direction. likely to or not able to invest in. low the demonstration of U.S. ca- manufacturing, the globalization commercial space and non-space
The United States cannot lead if it The challenge for U.S. leadership pabilities. of research and development, and networks. It is impossible to write a
does not know how to leverage an is not to impose an agenda, but to the movement of maritime and air realistic national space policy with-
increasingly dynamic and fluid shape it. The challenge is to be able Second, the United States will traffic throughout the globe all rely out regard to the evolution of the
space environment. to compete and to cooperate to no longer have a monopoly on key on the use of space systems. Such non-space enablers and elements
achieve strategic leadership in the space capabilities such as global reliance will drive growth in com- of the military network.
The United States will not be growing presence of other space positioning systems. In crafting mercial space. At the same time,
alone in space in the immediate powers and players. Diversity is the GPS 3 it would be wise to ensure communication, navigation and In an era of space diversity, the
period ahead. This is clearly why future; assertion of primacy will fail that the European effort on its entertainment systems are evolving challenge for the United States is
concepts such as “freedom of ac- unless accompanied by a clear co- Galileo system can be tapped as to rely more heavily on space as to define a realistic notion of lead-
tion” and “space control” are be- opetition strategy. well. The Japanese, Chinese and well. The hopes of the 1980s and ership, one in which leverage, not
coming problematic. The chal- Indians will probably generate 1990s will become realities in the hegemony, is the order of the day.
lenge is to shape a realistic space Four key requirements are their own regional GPS systems, 20 years ahead and even more so. An ability to leverage commercial
policy in the context of the grow- coming to the fore for a U.S. na- and the Russian Global Navigation capabilities, shape allied and com-
ing competition from new space tional space policy, none of which Satellite System, dubbed Glonass, Fourth, the military dimension petitive frameworks, and to work
entrants and allies in the space are effectively addressed in the will be strengthened by oil dollars of space is changing dramatically as within evolving military networks is
arena. space strategy and all of which are and Russian arms alliances and well. The ongoing restructuring of the key to 21st century space pow-
crucial for an effective strategy of sales, such as those with India. With U.S. military forces to network cen- er. From this perspective, the new
A negative view can focus upon space power for the 21st century. the diversity of global positioning tric warfare will change forever the national space policy seems more
the threats posed by the expansion systems, how will the United States role of space. Ground-based sys- oriented towards the past than the
of non-U.S. players; adversaries, First, there is a need to craft an most effectively shape a leveraging tems, air-breathing manned and future.
competitors and allies all provide international exploration strategy, strategy? unmanned aircraft, near space and
challenges to U.S. leadership and not to simply assert the capacity of space systems will all compete and Robbin Laird is a Washington- and Paris-based
dominance. A positive view would the United States to fund its own Third, there is a need to pre- contribute to a growth in the net- defense aerospace consultant.
shift the notion of what U.S. lead- program as if this was the era of the pare for the acceleration of a digi- works available to U.S. forces. In-
Moon race. Without international tal space era in which satellite con-

SPACE NEWS 19

It is no secret that space acquisition is in Fixing Space Acquisition:February 13, 2006 emerges from the ability to leverage other
trouble. The unwillingness of Congress From Spiral Development elements of the military and commercial
to fund key programs is a vote of no To Cookie-Cutter Production networks available to the United States.
confidence in the current acquisition ap- < >ROBBIN LAIRD
proach. The aspirations of the U.S. acqui- but would not be deployed until it was ma- facing the United States. In addition to the thickening of the
sition system have been greater than the re- ture enough not to delay the production Requirements creep keeping satellites middle level of the network via UAVs and
alities of the performance of the cycle. The bias of the acquisition system the joint strike fighter, the growth in the ca-
procurement system, the plausible techni- would be towards deployment with as sim- on the ground has affected U.S. launch re- pabilities of the global satellite communi-
cal capabilities of that system or an ability ple a system as possible on a regular de- quirements as well. Without a clear and cations networks allows the United States
to leverage other elements of defense ployment schedule, which would make consistent satellite manifest for the United the opportunity to acquire core capabilities
transformation and civilian space. costs predictable. Contractors would be States, it is impossible to evaluate the real from leveraging the commercial market-
paid largely for deployment, not pro- needs of the U.S. government for dedicat- place.
The heart of the problem has been the longed development. ed launchers. With the adoption of the
notion of spiral development. By itself, the cookie-cutter production model, realistic The Katrina crisis underscored how im-
concept has its plausibility. But, in reality, Two models might be considered as rel- launch demand could be forecasted, bud- portant satellite communications are for
requirements creep in the development evant to the cookie-cutter approach. One geted and prepared for. crisis management and security. Without
stage has kept more satellites on the approach would be to craft a network of Iridium and Globalstar systems, connectiv-
ground than have been launched. Spiral simple satellites, which would be upgraded Much of the pressure on U.S. military ity would have been lost in the region dur-
development has become, in practice, syn- as needed (Iridium). An additional ap- space requirements has been reduced by ing the height of the crisis. Yet the Penta-
onymous with the structural incapacity to proach might be that pursued by Lock- the technical successes of the air-breathing gon’s proclivity for nurturing its own
launch sufficient or adequate capability at heed Martin for the single satellite solution sector of the transformation effort. And protocols and systems has led to its desire
a reasonable price. The quest for break- used by the A2100 satellite. The company these successes can allow more time to de- to have a transformational communica-
throughs in the development cycle has standardized on the bus and developed a velop breakthrough programs like space- tions system whereby data and voice can be
made it difficult to finish production and modular approach and incremental im- based radar and transformational commu- managed over secure systems that only it
to launch sequentially upgraded satellites. provement process. These production nications. The emergence of unmanned controls. No one would argue against the
models for networks or single satellites aerial vehicles (UAVs) has become a key need for key assets to provide for secure
A related problem has been projecting would be considered as the norm to be challenger to the proliferation of space- communications; but these systems already
technical possibilities that are simply unre- sought, rather than the Space Based In- based assets. Obviously, space is a crucial exist and work. They could be reinforced
alistic within current production sched- frared System model. domain for C4ISR (command, control, by an evolutionary acquisition strategy. The
ules. Many new systems face formidable communications, computer, intelligence, military and the U.S. government could
maturation barriers. Some have been Extant capabilities would be main- surveillance and reconnaissance), but then be in a position to support Globalstar
framed as multifunctional replacements tained; multifunctional replacements UAVs are emerging as crucial components and Iridium type systems for global use as a
for extant capabilities (Space Based In- would be sought via experimental R&D of the C4ISR “infosphere.” Also, the new course of policy, not an accident of policy.
frared System High) or as placing terrestri- programs. The Defense Advanced Re- joint strike fighters will become multimis-
al capabilities in the sky (transformational search Projects Agency (DARPA) would be sion aircraft strengthening the networks In short, the U.S. government is at a
communications) or moving air-breathing put in charge of funding and developing available to the ground forces. turning point. It can continue to pursue
capabilities to space (space-based radar). such programs. When ready, they would be acquisition policies that will reduce de-
moved to consideration for production. Space as the high ground will become ployed capability via a spiral requirements-
Spiral development needs to be re- less of a thick network backbone on the In- creep development process. The alterna-
placed by a cookie-cutter production ap- The Predator model would be followed ternet model, and more of the top end to tive is to take a network approach. A
proach with a more realistic view of what is in space acquisition. Clearly, the small satel- the ground-, sea- and air-based networks. cookie-cutter modular production ap-
technically possible. Transformation rests lite, small launcher programs being pur- proach for space-based elements of the de-
on the notion of synergy from deployed ca- sued by DARPA are part of the solution, but As space becomes the top end, the cook- fense and homeland security networks
pabilities, not the development of silver- reshaping the process of developing new ie-cutter model becomes even more possi- would be pursued. These modules would
bullet space platforms that by themselves capabilities is at the core of the challenges ble. By replicating current capabilities with be part of the defense and commercial net-
create synergy. The network creates the an iterative approach, transformation works and be upgraded via a fixed produc-
synergy not the breakthrough platform. tion system. If confidence cannot be re-
stored in current space-based acquisition,
Based on this principle, current capa- there will be little tolerance from the Con-
bilities would be modernized by a steady gress for funding “breakthrough” develop-
approach, not a breakthrough approach. ments. After all a “breakthrough develop-
Core capacities for space would be built ment” pursued via a broken acquisition
around modular space platforms, which system is more of a breakdown than a
would be produced to be launched on a breakthrough.
regular cycle. A basic electronics package
would be prepared for the first module Robbin Laird is a Washington- and Paris-based defense and
and be iteratively deployed. Development aerospace consultant.
of a new package would occur in parallel

Hardly a week passes with- It’s Time To Inspire, Enable have launched the world’s first
out some dire pronounce- and Propel Tomorrow’s Explorers master’s degrees in Curriculum
ment about the state of and Instruction-Space Specialist
education in the United States — < >ELLIOT G. PULHAM and nearly 100 teachers have al-
how other nations are surpassing ready obtained their Space Spe-
us in developing their work force That is why the Space Founda- lenged in the nation, with stagger- body of curriculum was produced cialist M.A. Finally, what is working
and their technology base, and tion is making a serious recommit- ing percentages of disadvantaged by teams of outstanding teacher so well in West Hawaii and other
what debilitating consequences ment to our education mission. students, teen pregnancy, sub- graduates of our Summer Institute areas is a radical new, proprietary
await our industry and our nation Over the past 20 years, we have stance abuse problems and stu- program, and is indexed by feder- teacher training methodology
if we do not take action. The provided tools and training for dents for whom English is a sec- al standards, state standards, grade called the Integrated Science and
Glenn Commission, the Walker nearly 40,000 teachers represent- ond or third language. We will be level and subject area. It is already Literacy Model®.
Commission, the Moon-to-Mars ing all 50 states. While that might training the teachers in this district being accessed by thousands of
Commission and the recent Au- sound impressive, it’s really only a for the next three years in an at- teachers. Particularly exciting, a These new tools, and the ef-
gustine Commission (“The Gath- drop in the bucket of the nearly tempt to cause a paradigm shift so new charter school in Colorado forts of our teacher liaisons in 46
ering Storm” report) have all con- four million K-12 teachers and significant it borders on interven- Springs, the Star Academy, is being states, are making a difference.
cluded that the future of the more than 50 million students in tion. launched with a space theme and But our team is small. To truly have
republic is in jeopardy. High-tech the nation. We must do more, and 75 percent of its curriculum drawn national impact, we must scale up.
titans like Bill Gates, Craig Barrett we will need the assistance of The basis of this work is our pri- from the Space Foundation.
and others have issued similar everyone we can rally to our cause. or success in training teachers in That is why our board of direc-
warnings. the district. This success can, in Strong, space-inspired curricu- tors has set a new education strate-
Recently the Foundation re- turn, be attributed to a focused ef- lum is only part of the solution. gic vision for the Space Founda-
While this sense of urgency is ceived the largest education grant fort launched in 2001 to reinvent Teacher training and support is tion: To inspire, enable and propel
long overdue, the theme is no award in our history, a No Child our education enterprise. Among key. Accordingly we have reinvent- tomorrow’s explorers.
stranger. Rather, it has echoed Left Behind grant made to the other things, the effort has led to ed our five-week Summer Institute
throughout virtually every confer- Foundation and the North Kona, an entirely new body of curricu- program, and participants now This vision means we — the en-
ence and symposium the Space Hawaii, school district by the U.S. lum now accessible to teachers for rate it as one of the most effective tire space community — need to
Foundation has hosted over the Department of Education. This free via the Internet (www.science- summer learning experiences for inspire all Americans to become
past half-dozen years. It resonates district is one of the most chal- standardslessons.org ). This new educators in the world. We also excited about our future and to
in our research and analysis work, become motivated to prepare
and we see its very real manifesta- themselves through education. It
tions in our work with schools, means we must work with teachers
teachers and students. and students all across the country
to provide the kind of education
We understand the problem. It that will enable them to lead the
is time for action.
SEE PULHAM PAGE 21

W ith the departure of U.S. Beyond SPACE NEWS Basics” 19
Air Force Undersecre-
tary Ron Sega from the First, the military deployments September 3, 2007 Third, the global security en- fense Department needs to rely
Pentagon, it is time to start think- in Iraq and Afghanistan have un- terprise rests in the words Wynne on commercial networks and sys-
ing about the best way the nation derscored the need for a new ap- “Back to wrote in a Jan. 16 op-ed for Avia- tems for capabilities and those
can proceed to the next phase of proach to the use of command < >ROBBIN LAIRD tion Week: “The thoughtful shaping needs should be prioritized. This
military space acquisition. and control (C2) and intelligence, of coalition capabilities that will could be done by leasing services
surveillance and reconnaissance space to leveraging the evolution provide the authority within which directly, by relying on hosted pay-
Sega focused on a “back-to-ba- (ISR). These operations have re- of air-breathing and ground sys- power may be exercised in the tur- loads (as the U.S. Federal Aviation
sics” approach to return military lied on air-breathing and ground- tems as well as global commercial bulent years ahead.” This means Administration does currently),
space acquisition from a financial based platforms to provide signifi- systems in shaping its future mili- that a premium is placed from the or by leveraging networks like
and technological abyss. The sys- cant C2 and ISR. The U.S. Marine tary space system. outset on shared capabilities, not Iridium to support GPS. Rather
tem was out of whack with spiral Corps is relying on what it calls proprietary data provided by U.S. than viewing the commercial net-
development leading to spiraling “non-traditional” ISR for its opera- Second, the operations associ- military systems, which then is works as a leper colony, the Pen-
costs and non-existent space plat- tions. By non-traditional, the ated with the global war on terror- laundered through a tortured in- tagon should view the commercial
forms. His emphasis was on put- Marine Corps means “on-de- ism have underscored the chang- telligence sharing process with al- sector as a core element of the
ting platforms into space rather mand” ISR for ground- and sea- ing nature of the balance between lies. By then events are beyond the overall military space system.
than crafting transformational based decision makers. Air-breath- kinetic and non-kinetic systems. point where there is any relevance
briefing slides. He focused on ing platforms, whether manned or For example, the U.S. Air Force’s to the data. Proprietary U.S. mili- A final key consideration is the
more realistic program cost esti- unmanned, are increasingly cen- primary operational missions now tary systems are at the core of shap- impact of the Chinese anti-satel-
mates and block upgrades of ex- tral to their ISR and C2 operations. are largely non-kinetic. Kinetic ing kinetic capabilities for the joint lite test. The Chinese have
isting platforms. The Marines and U.S. Army have strike is a core capability to be ex- U.S. forces, but they are not at the demonstrated the vulnerability of
worked closely to share data across ercised as appropriate. heart of the shared data and com- space. By relying on commercial
With Sega out of the way, the ground-based systems as well. munications capability that are systems that the Chinese would be
temptation will be to push for- Air Force Secretary Mike central to the global security en- loath to degrade and by building
ward breakthrough programs that With the dramatically en- Wynne refers to this new state of terprise and needed for an effec- capabilities that leverage the col-
are big on promise, but likely to hanced role of C2 and ISR gener- affairs as the role of the Air Force tive global war on terrorism. laborative capabilities of a redun-
deliver little capability to orbit ated by the ground-air partnership, in the “global security enterprise.” dant data and communications
very quickly. Leveraging current the role of space has changed. The classic role of military space This means that relying on global network deployed locally,
platforms to create capabilities is Space becomes a significant layer has been to provide C4ISR for ki- shared systems with allies and the the Pentagon would get the re-
considerably better than crafting within the communications and netic strike against moving or stat- commercial sector should be a dundancy that provides security.
comprehensive systems that are data spheres, not simply the repos- ic tactical or strategic targets. With core consideration for a significant
unaffordable and beyond the itory of the network. Space systems the global war on terrorism, there part of the U.S. military space sys- In other words, the Sega pause
technological grasp of the current become relay elements, coordinat- are fewer targets and significantly tem. On the one hand, data can be has allowed the Pentagon to begin
generations of engineers and ing nodes and part of a collabora- more events that need to be purchased from partners and al- thinking realistically about a mili-
manufacturers. tive system, not the dominant layer shaped on the ground or at sea. lies. For example, leased commu- tary space system, not a military
shaping the network. This means Data and communications need nications from the United King- space sector. A systems approach
While back to basics was putting that the U.S. military can shift from to be provided close to the point dom’s Skynet system would be part recognizes the role of the various
military space back on more solid building complete military com- of decision making, not stored in of the U.S. overall capability. contributors to overall capabilities
financial and technological foot- munications and ISR networks in Washington data vaults. As such, providing for the effects necessary
ing, several strategic developments the military and security players in On the other hand, the De- to shape and execute a global se-
occurred that should shape a new the global security enterprise are curity enterprise. It would be a
military space approach. These de- relying more on a collaborative shame if back to basics will now be
velopments should lead to an em- and on-demand networks than on replaced by back to business as
phasis on a systems approach, the data provided from distant usual with Sega out of the picture.
rather than on advancing a purely geostationary satellites.
proprietary military space sector. Robbin Laird is a Washington- and Paris-based
defense aerospace consultant.

Dangers of Nitrous Oxide No Surprise
< >MARK HOLTHAUS

Experimental rocket societies have a id. This engine design was later modified to nition should not be tried. Redundant ig- rocket propellant. Unless these substances
more than 60-year history of provid- use a polyethylene tube to fill the tank nition methods should be used to make are treated with respect and scientific pre-
ing some of the few hands-on hard- through the combustion chamber; the ig- sure that ignition occurs when nitrous cision, they will harm, and in rare and trag-
ware development training grounds for nition grain burns through the tube to start first flows; otherwise, out of concern for ic events like the Scaled episode, kill.
the nation’s space industry scientists and the nitrous flow and to start ignition. public and passenger safety, the launch
engineers. Most famous among these or- should be aborted. Also, as a matter of good practice, it is
ganizations is the Pacific Rocket Society Knowing that nitrous oxide sprayed on not safe to flow an oxidizer through a
(PRS), which was founded in 1946 and an HTPB fuel grain can saturate that grain In questioning the ill-fated July 26 propulsion system with unprotected per-
has been an incubator for many notable and turn it into a substance as volatile as ground test, one could ask: Where did ig- sonnel standing nearby. If the oxidizer is
personalities now operating companies in TNT, I have several concerns with the cur- nition occur? When venting a dry gas such exposed to any organic contamination it
the new commercial space movement. rent SpaceShipTwo design, and have as nitrous oxide over a surface, a static can become explosive and detonate dur-
some recommendations to improve its charge can build up. If this static dis- ing the test. All future flow testing using an
PRS members have built, tested and safety based on how the nitrous-oxide hy- charges, it can ignite the explosive fuel oxidizer should be done with the person-
flown every type of rocket engine imagi- brid engine disasters that I personally grain, or in the case of nitrous oxide, can nel located in a well-fortified blockhouse.
nable, including liquids, hybrids and have witnessed could have been avoided. ignite the oxidizer itself.
solids. At an amateur rocket launch in Burt Rutan had commented that they
the Black Rock Desert, Nev., in 2005, sev- Venting nitrous oxide through the en- In the Mojave Desert that day, condi- had vented nitrous many times in a simi-
eral PRS members witnessed the explo- gine should be avoided at all costs. One tions were extremely dry and hot (tem- lar way, and no explosion had occurred.
sion of their large HTPB/Nitrous-Oxide possible scenario of high concern is the peratures hovered around 100 degrees); This type of statement is commonly made
hybrid rocket. potential event of an aborted launch re- static build-up was likely to occur. Within in conjunction with accidents. The Apollo
quiring the venting of the onboard ni- a narrow range of temperature and pres- 1 fire is a case in point: NASA had per-
In terms of design, the nitrous-oxide trous-oxide propellant to reduce the vehi- sure combinations, nitrous oxide in and formed many high-pressure pure-oxygen
tank was loaded using a tube that passes cle weight for landing. In this type of of itself can undergo rapid, explosive de- cabin leak checks on all the Mercury and
through the combustion chamber and situation, either the White Knight Two composition and can auto-ignite. If, as is Gemini capsules with no resulting fire.
plugs into the injector face. At launch, the would have to land with a fully loaded claimed, there was no fuel present that But the conditions were right that day for
tube detaches from the injector, allowing SpaceShipTwo, or SpaceShipTwo would day, the nitrous oxide alone could have an Apollo 1 fire. Unfortunately for those
the nitrous oxide to flow into the com- have to land with a full nitrous-oxide load provided the destructive power that dev- who died or were injured in the Mojave
bustion chamber. A burning ignition thus damaging the landing gear. In both astated the personnel and equipment at mishap, the conditions were right again, if
grain is present to start combustion. of these cases, the venting of nitrous oxide the Scaled Composites test site. just for that one horrible moment.
through the engine to lighten the vehicle
During nitrous loading the tube seal at weight should be avoided. Venting should Was this a case of mischaracterizing the Mark Holthaus is a safety engineer for The Boeing Co. and so
the injector face was leaking, spraying the be performed through a separate external nature of the propellant? Were workers
nitrous oxide onto the fuel grain. At igni- vent, not through the grain. led to believe that nitrous oxide should be works as a pyrotechnics operator – rockets 1st class with the
tion the fuel grain blew up. Later, it was de- considered “safe”? After all, didn’t the X
termined that the detonation was due to In the event of a misfire of the Space- Prize Cup organization include nitrous ox- California State Fire Marshal’s Office. He has performed safe-
the leak that sprayed nitrous oxide onto ShipTwo motor, and if nitrous oxide has ide on their list of safe propellants? All
the HTPB fuel grain, thereby saturating it, been vented through the motor without people with hands-on rocket experience ty analysis on the space shuttle, space station and X37, and
and turning it into a volatile, detonable sol- successful ignition, a second attempt at ig- know that there is no such thing as a “safe”
has extensive experience with large hybrid rockets through

his field work with the Pacific Rocket Society.

FRAMING A MISSION
SUPPORT ARCHITECTURE

MLI’s Robbin Laird sat down with Admiral Currier of the United States
Coast Guard, head of the Acquisition Directorate, to discuss the Coast
Guard’s new approach to acquisition.

Admiral Currier has been a acquisition is to be reshaped from the SHAPING A
key player in shaping what perspective of life-cycle support to SINGLE
the USCG calls its new USCG systems.
“Blueprint for Acquisition”. The ACQUISITION
new acquisition approach is Adm Currier is quick to note that the D I R E C TO R AT E
intended to enhance the ability fourth point should not be seen as
for the USCG to deploy and coming “last” in importance, but is A key element of the reform effort is
support new assets as it performs arguably at the core of the new strategy. to end the fragmentation of current
its role in meeting the challenges acquisition structures and to craft
of maritime security in the Admiral Currier emphasises that a common standards, processes and
21st century. Admiral Currier “multiple front strategy” will lead to approaches throughout the new
emphasises that integration of its major changes over the next few acquisition directorate. The current
operations and acquisition is years, and ultimately to the creation situation results in the suboptimal
required for the USCG to perform of an acquisition and support ability of the USCG to provide
its missions as mandated by the architecture, which has been lacking. A proper governance of the acquisition
national maritime security three star officer will be in charge of the and thus support processes. Within
strategy. mission support organisation (within the two primary acquisition entities –
which acquisitions and logistics will be Deepwater and Acquisition – staff
Adm Currier underscores that subsumed) which will place it on par redundancies exist that independently
Admiral Thad Allen, USCG with the operations directorate. This is, provide the same or similar functions.
Commandant, began his term by in itself, a radical move. These are then repeated elsewhere
issuing several directives to change the in the CG structure, leading to
acquisition system. Among these initial TROUBLED further diffusion of resources, and
directives were mandates to consolidate BACKGROUND lack of clarity.
acquisition organisations and to
integrate the logistics and support USCG acquisition is at a critical A consolidated acquisition
systems within a new Directorate. inflection point. In 1986, the USCG directorate will be launched in July
These directives led to the emergence of created the Acquisition and related but 2007. Over the next three years, this
the “Blueprint for Acquisition” in separate organisations to shape new Directorate (CG-9) will go
February 2007, and this will be the key acquisition efforts. But as the USCG through a series of reforms by which
tool of the new acquisition directorate confronted the massive challenges of real integration of acquisition and
which will be launched this summer. block asset obsolescence of so many
vessels, a new approach was launched
In crafting the blueprint, the which saw the USCG working with a
USCG is guided by four core commercial partner to shape an overall
principles. approach to acquisition. This led to the
Deepwater Program Executive Office
First, program managers and being created in 1999 to lead this effort.
integrated project teams (IPTs) must
become the core units of action in the Now the USCG is combining the
formation and execution of the efforts of all of the acquisition
acquisition of USCG assets. Second, organisations into a new, consolidated
both the numbers and capabilities of acquisition organisation. But this new
acquisition personnel, both uniformed merger is being crafted from the
and civilian, will be significantly perspective of providing life-cycle
enhanced. Third, acquisition must support to USCG assets. Whereas the
become a more effective enabler of Deepwater approach was to contain a
operations within the service. new approach to logistics within the
Requirements generation, definition Deepwater effort, the USCG now
and execution must become a more feels that such an approach needs to
effective partnership between be subsumed within overall
acquisition and operations. Fourth, integration of logistics and support
within acquisition itself.

APRIL/MAY 2007 36

support will be achieved. Although the Desired End State
organisational change will be profound
for USCG culture, it is crucial at the Acquisition Enterprise
same time to maintain efforts to
acquire capacity for a service facing Deputy Commandant for
regular operational challenges. Adm Mission Support
Currier says that this is not the time to
dump out the baby with the bathwater. Assistant Assistant Assistant Assistant
Commandant for Commandant Commandant for Commandant for
The launch of the new command Engineering and Human Capital
(CG-9) will carry with it several core Acquisition C41
changes. Logistics

Program management will be the Life-Cycle Support and Sustainment
“operational” arm of the acquisition
structure. All other elements will exist place throughout the system lifecycle. work with either government partner
to support the Program Manager (PM) Although interim steps can be taken to or commercial systems integrators.
who will function as the lynchpin for structure the acquisition phase IPTs in
the entire acquisition process. The advance of full realisation of the Mission One way of looking at the reform
R&D Centre will be incorporated into Support structure, only through full effort is to see the organisational
an Office of Research, Development, implementation of this SYSCOM redesign as a “permanent” revolution,
Test and Evaluation. This centre will structure can life cycle be governed. which empowers program managers
provide critical acquisition support and contract officers to operate in a
tasks. This Centre will also contribute ALL OF OUR EYES common but evolving process to
to establishment requirements and O N T H E D I S TA N T provide timely, and supportable
reviewing those requirements during capability to the service.
the pre-acquisition formulation phase. HORIZON
And throughout, there will be a major In short, at the heart of the reform
emphasis on through life support of The acquisition enterprise that will effort will be an enhanced capacity
systems. emerge from a reform effort will focus for providing integrated project
upon assets and systems acquired and management within an evolving
THE NEW sustained along product lines. This mission support architecture. In the
S T RU C T U R E AT will require an ability to formulate current situation, the definition of
and execute three very different requirements, project management
WORK contractual approaches. The first and contracting processes are too
approach is the acquisition of goods disjointed and disconnected. By
A new fully integrated and aligned and services. Here traditional empowering program managers and
process will be established which approaches to acquisition will be rebalancing the relationship between
allows the PMs to focus, coordinate modified as sustainment becomes part contract managers and program
and strategically manage projects. The of the asset acquisition process. officers, a more effective program
mission support architecture will management process can emerge. And
allow the acquisition process to be able The second approach is that of a key outcome will be better through
to interact strategically over the life of single asset acquisition, and the life management of systems and
the acquisition to more efficiently formation of strong program managers equipment which should lead both to
produce the required capability. will be central to the management and lower operating costs, and so higher
Requirements will be reviewed on a governance of the process. availability of equipment.
regular and periodic basis to revalidate
or redefine those requirements with The third is different from the other
regard to realistic judgments about two. Here the tasks are
affordability and technical feasibility. to govern systems
Adm Currier underscored that this integration tasks and
represents a major change in thinking tools. The challenge is
for the Coast Guard. less to do it in-house than
to ensure that the USCG
A key objective of the new approach is fully capable of
will be to provide governance of the governing the process of
acquisition process from the integrated systems integration. As a
lifecycle management perspective. Staff mid-sized service, the
elements contributing to project USCG will have limited
execution must do so under the ability to do systems
leadership of the designated Project integration itself. But it
Manager, in a matrix IPT. These IPTs needs to be in the
will exist throughout the lifecycle of the position to govern the
system being acquired. Leadership of process and to be able to
the matrix IPT can change as the system
matures, but the core competencies
represented on the IPT will remain in

3 7 MILITARY LOGISTICS INTERNATIONAL

SHAPING HANDS-ON Courtesy of the Royal Navy, Crown Copyright
COALITION CAPABILITY AT SEA

MLI’s Robin Laird sees how a US Marine Aviation Group gets on with
operating off the Royal Navy’s HMS Illustrious.

Marine Air Group deployed 14 AV-8B Harriers, plus 200 support personnel aboard HMS Illustrious for a period of over two weeks. Vital to operating US marine
aircraft off a Royal Navy ship is that personnel were not segregated, but were bunked together.

In July of this year, the USMC For the USMC, the exercise “It is an example of two military
assigned two Ospreys and provided an opportunity both to cultures relatively close to one
fourteen AV-8B Harriers to certify pilots and, more importantly, another simply working through
operate aboard HMS Illustrious. to develop coalition operational skill operational differences to create a
The British aircraft carrier was sets. The USMC is a flexible fighting positive outcome. The mental
participating in a joint exercise force and sees its range of missions as furniture of the two groups had to be
with the U.S. and other allied requiring the ability to work with rearranged but the result was a real
navies near the Virginia and North allies at sea and on land. The combat capability” he said.
Carolina coasts. The exercise was preparation for the exercise and the
an unprecedented effort by the experiences of the exercise itself The idea started with a USMC
Marines and the Royal Navy, in allowed the Marines to work thought process which emphasized that
which close coordination allowed closely with the Royal Navy. And to their vertical lift assets allows them to
the Marines to operate fully off of thereby further develop coalition operate over a much wider variety of
the British ship. collaborative combat skills. It was platforms than a traditional catapult
not a technical exercise in carrier. By starting with two services
For the Royal Navy, the exercise was interoperability: rather the Marines with similar strategic cultures, the
the capstone of certification of the saw the exercise as an opportunity to challenges were perceived to be
carrier as NATO’s High Readiness develop an on-the-fly-division of manageable. In May, a four-person site
Maritime Strike Carrier. The ship labor skill sets so necessary for survey USMC team joined HMS
operated alongside the USS Harry S. coalition operations. British Illustrious for a week. Here the two sides
Truman battle group, and worked with procedures were mixed with Marine worked through the deployment details
the U.S. Navy in developing greater Corps procedures in crafting a and what needed to be resolved when
interoperability for future operations blended coalition combat capability. the Marines would deploy aboard the
of current and new British carriers British ship. The Marines were to bring
and other warships. The operation of Interviewing Col. Eric Van Camp, parts of two squadrons from the East
the US Marine Corps Harriers off the the USMC Air Group Commander, Coast and one from the West Coast and
British ship allowed the crew to on-board HMS Illustrious, the colonel would then deploy elements of the
practice high intensity carrier underscored the central role of three units aboard HMS Illustrious.
operations in the absence of their own blending the USMC and British crew They were to follow UK shipboard
Harriers, which are currently both before and during the exercise as rules. The plan was to blend the crew
deployed in Afghanistan. crucial to the success of the exercise. aboard the ship so that informal small

9 MILITARY LOGISTICS INTERNATIONAL

R Laird

US Marine deck crew manoeuvre an AV-8B Harrier around the – for them – tight confines of the deck of HMS Illustrious. Comparing and coordinating support
practices was a vital part of the combined force exercise.

group interactions would shape This problem was worked through via flying off of the ship in two weeks
resolutions before there needed to be a “chalk talk” in the actual context, rather with more than 200 sorties. 301
formal process put in place. than laying down formal paper work. landings were completed whereby 29
pilots were qualified in four days,
The methodology followed during One key challenge was working results greater than the normal
the exercise was the “chalk board” through the ordinance issues. The experience operating off US Marine
approach. As problems were USMC Harriers use different weapons ships. Editor’s Note: Well worth
identified, informal teams would form than do the RN/RAF Harriers. The comparing these figures with those
to shape proper outcomes. For most notable differences are that the revealed in the UK National Audit
example, with regard to flight deck USMC AV-8B cannons are a different Office report on the transformation of
operations there are differences of caliber than the RAF/Fleet Air Arm’s fast jet support in the UK.
approach, which are used by the GR7/9 cannons, and the USMC uses
British and American navies. The two JDAM satellite guided bombs, which For the USMC the results of the
sides worked through a division of the UK does not. The ordinance was exercise are very promising. With the
labor whereby rules would be loaded onto HMS Illustrious in Norfolk, number of U.S. ship hulls decreasing
followed by both sides, but different Va., along with some special USMC over time, the ability of the USMC to
cultures respected. ammunition loading equipment and operate off of allied ships will be an
parts. In actual fact less ammunition important contribution to what
The USN provides dedicated storage on the ship was required than Admiral Mullen’s refers to as the
personnel for flight operation controls. the site survey team had anticipated. “1000” ship navy. There is an entire
The RN does not have purple/blue class of allied ships being built by the
shirts playing this role. The USMC Real estate and time are the scarce British, Italians, Spanish, Australians,
captains refueled their own planes resources in operations on a combat and French off of which the vertical
because the UK does not do hot deck ship. Via small group collaboration life USMC assets are ideally suited
refuelling, which is SOP for the and “chalk talk,” real estate and for coalition operations. What this
USMC. And they created rules to timing issues were worked through path breaking exercise demonstrates
collaborate between the refuelling during the actual operations. This that working through the practical
efforts and the yellow shirts (taxi would not have happened according problems via small group interactions
drivers) to allow for proper flight to the Colonel without the 200 is the core of working the cultural
operations. There are fewer layers of embarked US Marines and the Royal interdependence at the heart of
operational flight control elements on Navy sailors being berthed together. coalition operations.
the British ship. And the USMC
adapted their operations to this reality. The result was that the Marines
were able to conduct 315 hours of

SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2007 10

TESTING THE CONCEPTS,

REFINING THE APPROACHES

Military Logistics International’s Murielle Delaporte and Robbin Laird
attended the USMC’s LOGMOD-2007-2 War Game held in Quantico.

The LOGMOD 2007-2 War on the battlefield, and the nascent United States Marine Corps as a
Game was held over five IT systems which can empower whole. According to U.S. Marine
days in September 2007, and such an approach. Corps Sergeant Donald Bohanner,
MLI was able to observe two of the command has been working on
those days. Whereas the first game • The tension between the current their development since 1995, when
in October 2006 helped develop the operations in Iraq, which are in place the Marine Corps Warfighting Lab
overall approach to logistics logistics for a “second land army,” (MCWL) was actually established.
reform, the second game and the real requirements for the But Sgt Bohanner explained that the
confronted the approach with a USMC of expeditionary logistics for push for Marine Corps simulations
range of real world problems,and an engaged distributed force. occurred in 2001 with a research
identified core challenges which the project initiated by the technology
approach will have to overcome to • The tension between lessons division at Training and Education
become viable. The event was not a learned from past operations, and Command to investigate technologies
vague “exercise”: eighty-five the needs for a sea-based force to create a Deployable Virtual
professionals participated in the which the USMC sees as core to its Training Environment for Marines.”
war game, most with significant expeditionary future. The advantages over, or complement
recent combat experience in Iraq to, live-fire training are financial, but
and Afghanistan. Overlaying these three themes are can be measured in terms of time-
some common questions: What saving, risks and preparedness. The
The game was a remarkable effort logistics reforms fit the future, rather Marine Corps Wargaming Division,
to sort out the tensions in than the past? What realistic based in Quantico, is in charge of the
transitioning to a more effective capabilities will be deployed with program and part of the MCWL.
approach to battlefield logistics regard to IT? And how much trust
support. Three core themes came up can be put in the new system so that GAME ONE –
throughout the games: hoarding and stockpiling can be GAME ON!
overcome as legacy logistics realities?
• The tension between the approach, A year ago, from October 30th
which embedded logistics support War gaming and simulation are to November 3rd 2006, USMC
relatively new tools being used by the

Staff Sgt Jim Goodwin, USMC

NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2007 32

logistics professionals gathered for the each Combat Logistics Battalion process down to the RCT (Regiment
first time to participate in the inaugural (CLB), which requires a complete Combat Team) level in order to better
LOGMOD war game. The main overhaul at the regiment level. In the provide support to the infantry.
objective of the 2006 war game words of one of the officers in charge of Another participant described the
was first, “to define the roles, LOGMOD 2007-2, Major Vincent process in slightly more prosaic terms
responsibilities and relationships of the Applewhite, “the CLB structure was as a logistics “wish list for officers”.
various Logistics Operations Center adopted to maintain a permanent
(LOC) staffs”, and, “to generate a draft logistics C2 structure built around a According to the Maj Applewhite
policy and doctrine”. With the core transportation capability. The and Mike Resnick, “The purpose of
transformation of the traditional Force CLB maintains a habitual support LOGMOD 07-2 is to examine
Service Support Group (FSSG) into relationship with an Infantry Regiment. logistics support request procedures
the Marine Logistics Group (MLG), Based on this standing structure, CLB, and the roles, functions, and activities
LOGMOD has been seeking partly it can be rapidly ‘tasked organized’ to of the Logistics Combat Element and
through wargaming, “to establish meet mission requirements. The core the supporting establishment while
habitual relationships and a single point CLB is approximately 330 Marines, but supporting a Ground Combat
of entry for requests between the it can be augmented up to 800-plus”. Element conducting maneuver in the
supported and supporting commands MEF battlespace. LOGMOD 07-2
within the MAGTF [Marine Air P LAY I N G O U T will examine the feasibility
Ground Task Force] to ensure tactical THE GAME and practicality of changes in
logistics functions are executed and capabilities, staffing, process and
fulfilled effectively”. In the second war game, also under technology as recommended by: the
the aegis of the MCWL, there was Field Maintenance Capability
Initiated right after the broad participation by representatives Alignment (FMCA) workshops,
reorganization of the MLG, the first of the Marine Corps, such as Marine MARCORLOGCOM [Marine Corps
game was aimed at examining the LOG Aviation, as well as of other services Logistics Command] SECREP
C2 (logistics command and control) in and agencies – such as the General [Secondary Reparable] management
order to define the missions of the Services Administration (GSA) and concept of operations, Realignment
various structures just created. It was to Marine Corps Installations – and of Supply Spiral I process action
assess the responsibilities and resources outside contractors supporting the teams, and the MAGTF Distribution
necessary to implement the overall program administratively such as Conference and policy”.
vision of what was referred to by a Booz Allen and Hamilton, CTC and
participant in this year’s war game as a, EG&G division of the technical LOGMOD 2007-2 was designed to
“holistic approach to logistics”. services group, URS. test a number of core reform
initiatives in terms of their impact on
The difficulty has been to shift from a LOGMOD 2007-2 continued the the “affected units”. The basic
decades-old vertical chain of command process started during the first capabilities matrix used in the game is
to a structure in which all the traditional LOGMOD game). The goal as included below.
functional directions – maintenance, described by one of the organizer, Mike
transportation, supply, engineering, C2, Resnick, was to, “make the changes
medical/dental – are integrated within across the Corps”, while fine-tuning the

From the Force Service Support Group … ... To the Marine Logistics Group

An MLG is typically composed of 8,000 Marines and includes, “for support in Garrison or deployed”, 116 Refuellers,
300 Medium Lift Vehicles (MTVRs), 28 Rough Terrain Cargo Handlers, 120 Fork Lifts, 60 Mobile Cranes,
75 Maintenance shelters, 34 Bull dozers, 40 Road Graders, 80 Dump Trucks, and 82 Reverse Osmosis Water
Purification Units.

3 3 MILITARY LOGISTICS INTERNATIONAL

FOUR ASPECTS • The final challenge was the logistics shift in responsibilities, as well as
OF LOGMOD distribution throughout the assessing the necessary resources to
PROCESS MAGTF, or where optimally to make it effective. Four “capabilities”
organize the distribution network in were explored:
The game tested four key elements of terms of responsibilities.
the matrix in terms of the challenges • inventory positioning;
facing the reform process: RoS Spiral I, the initial element of the
reform process, is the first phase of • removal of order management
• The challenge of Realignment of the Realignment of Supply initiative functions from supported units;
the Supply Chain (RoS); in the USMC, and the first listed
initiative on the matrix. The • centralization of order fulfillment
• The Realignment of Maintenance responsibility for order management and capacity management (inventory,
(RoM), and where maintenance is transferred from the supported unit procurement) responsibilities into
would be best performed; to the supporting unit, while one one supporting unit for each
supporting unit per MAGTF is to be MAGTF;
• Secondary repairs, a key aspect of in charge of both inventory and
the realignment of supply under procurement. One focus of the game • migration of inventory management
LOGMOD. There was especially was to assess the feasibility of such a and inventory warehousing functions
spirited discussion on this point for some classes of supplies.
during the game;
The second element of USMC
logistics reform, the RoM (Realignment
of Maintenance)/FMCA (Field
Maintenance Capability Alignment)
process, is the reduction from
traditional five echelons of maintenance
(EoM) to three levels of maintenance
(LoM): operator/crew, field and
sustainment.

The three new LoMs would be:

• Operator/Crew LoM, which would
be on the battlefield, with a bare
minimum of tool, no specialist
tools, and no specialist training
required to diagnose or perform
the tasks.

• Field LoM, which would also be on
the battlefield, but not exclusively,
some special-to-task equipment,

NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2007 34

some specialized training, with management of secondary reparables, Group (MLG) scenario designed to
inventory close to hand. as well as improving tracking and examine logistics support request
visibility of the assets. Four capacities procedures … ”, as opposed to a “box
• Sustainment LoM, in-theatre, if were in this case examined carefully, game”. The game was to evaluate the,
not on-battlefield support, with as detailed in the matrix: “procedures, roles and functions
specialized teams and tools, and a rather than the players’ performance”.
ready availability of spare parts. • implementation of recommended The players communicated via email,
LOGCOM Concept of Support for and kept track of all their exchanges
The game players also assessed the SECREP management; for further analysis at the end of each
impact of the RoM Field day, “outbriefs” as they were known.
Maintenance Capability Alignment • Marine Corps Logistics Command
(FMCA) on the migration of the (MCLC) ability to coordinate and The game was divided into five
ground SECREP (Secondary track SECREP asset postures, to moves and based on a scenario called
Reparable) repair capability from the support cross-leveling opportunities “Barbary Sword”. The goal of the
supported unit to the supporting unit across the Marine Corps; operation was to free an allied country
or LCE (Logistics Combat Element). from a foreign invasion, and in twelve
To help this assessment, seven • MCLC ability to coordinate and days, the shift was from “MEF in the
capacities were addressed in the war track configuration of SECREP defense to MEF in the offense”,
game matrix: assets repaired within the MAGTF, including a sea-based logistics
and rebuilt at sustainment level exercise.
• migration of the capability for maintenance activities;
repair of ground common • Stage 1 was “Assembly”;
electronic SECREPs LRUs from • MCLC ability to coordinate and
the supported unit to the LCE; track evacuation of SECREPs from • Stage 2 was “Movement to Attack
forward deployed locations. Positions”;
• shared responsibilities for engineer
Field LOM tasks between the LCE With the MAGTF Distribution • Stage 3 was “Defeat 1st Echelon”;
and the Ground Combat Element concept, the last element under
(GCE), specifically component examination in the war game, a single • Stage 4 was “Defeat 2nd Echelon”;
repair, evacuation and end item distribution officer becomes the single
recovery/evacuation missions; point of contact to coordinate the • and Stage 5 was “Restore the
entire distribution process, while International Boundary”.
• realignment of all field LOM having the authority to, “task
support repair tasks for AAV, LAV transportation assets throughout the The players – divided into four cells –
(light armored vehicles) and tank- MAGTF as the overall Distribution were to review the impact of each
unique systems within the GCE Capacity Manager”. In this case, four move on the major aspects of each
units; capacities were also examined by initiative and draw conclusions about
the game: the feasibility of the reform at the end
• migration of all Field LOM of the five day-war game. To do so,
component and parts replacement • establish a distribution officer as each organization (and for the final
tasks for artillery equipment to the single point of contact to questionnaire, each single player) had
GCE units; integrate, coordinate, and supervise in particular to answer the following
distribution processes; question:
• shared responsibilities for
component repair, evacuation and • MAGTF Deployment and “What were the impacts of the
end item recovery/evacuation Distribution Operations Center LOGMOD Concepts on your
missions between the LCE and (MDDOC) authorized to oversee organization’s ability to execute your
GCE units; and task transportation assets across mission in this move?”
the MAGTF as the overall
• migration of selected maintenance Distribution Capacity Manager During each move, the players had
support tasks such as annual small (DCM); to respond to new developments and
arms gauging tasks, replacement of deal with bottlenecks, or what was
small arms barrels and replacement • configuration of the MDDOC and referred to as Master Scenario Events
of optics components and parts MAGTF Materiel Distribution List (MESLs). Overall, the game
from the LCE to the organic unit; Center (MMDC) tables of included seventy MSELs, such as,
organization and equipment per the “Who’s got the mission?”, or, “Who’s
• alignment of electro/optical repair MDDP; got the asset?”
special tools for Field LOM units
with only 2nd EOM kits. • MMDC conducts throughput Concretely, some of the questions
operations. raised and addressed during the game
SECREP, the third element under were:
study in the war game, is a process A SEMINAR-
improvement effort under the RoM STYLE WAR GAME • Where will maintenance be
initiative, and has been another performed on the battlefield?
central concept of operations around The LOGMOD 07-2 War Game
which the war game was designed. Operations Order describes the • Where will inventory be positioned
Here too, the idea is to provide a conduct of the simulation as a, on the battlefield?
single point of contact to integrate “seminar-style War Game based
and improve the process of on a single Marine Logistics • Where will distribution be performed
on the battlefield?

3 5 MILITARY LOGISTICS INTERNATIONAL

• Where will MAGTF go for MAGTF Distribution SECREP Management
transportation?
LOGMOD War Game 07-2 was also The new SECREP management
• How to bring resources to the an opportunity to examine the process was perceived by participants
theater in the most efficient way? distribution pipelines, and to as improving the accountability factor,
determine better ways to perform this but that there was an increase in cost
• Is more maintenance needed? More function. The goal is to bring “just and footprint, as well as increased
equipment? More personnel? More the right stuff ”, but no more, so the demand. This could however be
capacity to support it? Who can fix force remains “light, lean and fast”. solved, according to a participant, via
the fastest? From this point of view, the Marines a more tailored approach of SECREP
have an advantage over the Army in allowances. The need for
All these challenges were raised very the sense that they never were able to standardization was also stressed. The
early in the game to make sure that carry a lot with them, just because shift in the control of assets was
potential gaps in the policies being they would often be sea-based, discussed in terms of pros and cons:
drafted were to be addressed. and the sense among the officials in the advantages were that there was a
charge of the war game was that “continuity of Ops when the MEF
The war game allowed to assess the “if the Marines cannot do that, was deployed”, and that it provided a,
pros and cons of each LOGMOD nobody does”. “stable training platform for Active
initiative, and generated multiple duty personnel”; on the other hand,
debates and recommendations to One of the major changes besides, the MEF was losing control of assets,
address some the issues at stake. After and parallel to, the integration of budget and process.
the full five days of gaming, some of various services within the MAGTF,
the conclusions concerning the key is the existence of liaison officers Another question raised during
areas are as follows: embedded in units, able to go back some of the final outbriefs was the
and forth the pipeline. This is a major ability to test a piece of equipment
RoM/FMCA advantage in getting rid of the “iron just fixed at the battalion level. The
mountain” mentality. At the end of answer was that more than often it is
In the case of maintenance, which the war game, there was a consensus fixed without having to be tested
used to take place at the rear, the that the MAGTF Distribution (either it starts again right again or it
question posed during these five days process did succeed in adapting to a does not), but that testing can be
of simulation was to find out at which decentralized battlefield and in performed as long as the battalion is
level it would be best performed. New increasing asset visibility, but that the not on the move. One of the
recommendations were integrated in augmentation in requirements was participants recast this question as
this war game and one of the not matched by an augmentation in follows: would it make sense to
conclusions was that “maintenance personnel. A recommendation was develop new equipment which would
can be embedded at the Combat made about the potential use of precisely allow Marines to test a
Logistics Battalion (CLB) level”. reserve forces. repair on the move?

RoS: centralized order

management

The same question was posed as far as USMC
supply was concerned: should
inventories be spread across the
battlefield, or is it better to have an
“avenue to go back to”. In this case,
the IT enablers allowing the process
were not yet fully available. The trend
is to, “move away from stockpiling to
positioning.” To do so will require
decentralization in order management
across the board with centralization at
the CLB level and in the execution of
the orders. Among the conclusions
made on the last day, the risk of the
CLB becoming a bottleneck was
stressed. The physical burden of
warehousing and the loss of flexibility
it implies was also highlighted.

A recommendation made by one of THE US Marine Corps are rationalising their support/maintenance structures. But whereas some armed
the cells was that the MLG should be forces have slimmed down to two lines of maintenance, the USMC is going from five Echelons of
the center of excellence for centralized Maintenance (EoM) to three Lines of Maintenance (LoM).
order management. However,
LOGMOD demonstrated the
feasibility of reducing the Regimental
Combat Team (RCT) logistic
footprint, as well as eliminating double
orders at the RCT level.

NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2007 36

KEY CHALLENGES better to repair as opposed to replace, and responsiveness. One participant
OF THE FUTURE especially given the problem of noted that the good news was that the,
transportation likely to occur in “training was actually rather easy as
A recurrent theme during the five wartime (e.g. “no truck to be found in long as one can do it at the unit level”.
days of war gaming in Quantico was Baghdad”). However, if this may be
summed up by one of the participants true for trucks and tanks, the “center One of the major future challenges
with these two very simple core- for excellence to fix SECREP” is not for the US Marine Corps is to remain
questions: “Who’s got the mission? necessarily at the battalion level. This focused on its primary mission, i.e.
Who’s got the asset?” The most raises issues not only in terms of expeditionary warfare, as the war in
frequent complaint has been to first transportation, but also as far as Iraq has been pulling it in the exact
clarify who was doing what, especially how much staff one needs at each opposite direction. The Marine
in terms of prioritization of assets, level and what kind of qualifications footprint in Iraq has been much
and secondly how reliable the new are required. heavier and longer-term than initially
process was. Indeed, the questions of planned. The risks of drifting towards
trust and accountability are at the Marines now involved in a “second land army” posture has been
very basis of the success of logistics expeditionary warfare need to be stressed by the USMC Commandant
reform as a whole. more flexible, more autonomous and himself who recently proposed to
more qualified. The Marines have an deploy the USMC as the lead US force
Past experiences have often been advantage over other services as its in Afghanistan, leaving Iraq to the
rooted in the fact that whoever owned training traditionally has been less Army as the lead force.. The USMC
some assets would tend to hold on to specialized and strived to maintain the leadership is deeply concerned with
them for fear of not being properly same level of quality across the board. losing their expeditionary focus. This
supplied on time. An interesting As Major Applewhite pointed out, is true in terms of training – neglecting
discussion took place during one of “the Marine Corps’ policy of ‘quality some aspects such as sea-based
the outbrief sessions about whether spread’ to assign officers across all operations for instance – equipment,
or not to institutionalize a practice occupational fields thus ensuring and logistics structure, and organization.
developed in Iraq, which has been equal distribution of high caliber What appeared clearly during this war
consisting in carrying a small officers in the MAGTF’s Aviation, game is that the dilemma for the
percentage of equipment in excess Ground, and Logistics Combat logistician is to constantly base his/her
capacity (about 5%, 10% in the case Elements. Moreover, all Marine decision on a “balance between the
of trucks). The balance between Officers are MAGTF Officers best solution and the better one”,
autonomy, with the extra-weight trained to understand all elements according to Maj Applewhite.
involved, and trust in the system is of the MAGTF, including
obviously a difficult one to achieve their employment and support A key challenge facing logistics
and one the Marines have been requirements. The resulting synergy reform is the disjoint between new
struggling with. In the case of this combined with our expeditionary approaches and shifts of authority,
exercise, and according to one of the culture produces Marine Officers and the fielding of the IT technology
players, “based upon lessons learned capable excelling across the full which empowers the transition.
during OIF, forward in-store capacity logistics spectrum.” The whole concept underlying
was included during the planning LOGMOD relies on a new C2
stages of the operation to provide a But for the logistics community, the architecture, which should be available
ready source of combat replacement current modernization pushes the within a two-year framework. As
equipment”. This concept of process even further – As one stated by Lieutenant-Colonel Darryl
“forward in-store capacity” resembles participant put it,: “training is cross- Barnes, “Marine Logistics … 2015
mobile pre-positioning and is leveled across the enterprise”. The Style” (Proceedings, November 2006,
intended to facilitate force purpose of the LOGMOD 2007-2 p.56), “Technological enhancement,
replenishment. was precisely to identify which spearheaded by the Global Combat
additional skills would be necessary to Support System Marine Corps that
The problem lies however in the achieve better results, especially at the provides a single program and point of
fact that it is not so maneuverable, and regiment level, while assessing, “the entry to access critical logistics data,
therefore needs to be calibrated in complexities associated with task will have the most impact on logistics
regard with future sustainment organized logistics in direct support modernization initiatives. Combined
requirements. That is indeed the of Regimental and Battalion-sized with state-of-the-art command and
main change compared to the past, maneuver forces and challenge of control systems with increased
when pre-positioned logistics were in developing and maintaining the bandwith, Marines across the
place. Another question raised was logistics skill sets needed to manage battlefield will benefit from real-time
the fact that, “ if lots of people were and lead those logistics logistics status updates”.
to carry SECREPs, how do you get organizations”, according to Maj
them back to be fixed, and then sent Applewhite. The need to “re-train in During the game, the participants
back?” The current situation is that a deployed environment” was engaged in observing an exercise off
the repair tends to be done on the stressed: one of the major difficulties site where the new Oracle system
battlefield and the advantage of a encountered is indeed for the was being tested. Reactions were
small excess ad hoc capacity is logisticians to adapt “on the fly” to solicited from the game participants
precisely to be able, “to fix on-site as mission-oriented assignments, hence concerning what they saw and would
opposed to fill out the pipe of training needs to emphasize flexibility like to see in the IT reform effort,
supply”. The consensus is that it is notably with regard to metrics.

3 7 MILITARY LOGISTICS INTERNATIONAL

WAR GAMES AND USMC
THE CHALLENGE
The LOGMOD war games have been called as “a seminar-style war game”. It is hoped that future
OF REFORM iterations will see real time input from operational units.

If many Marines concluded that they
were not “ready for prime time yet”,
LOGMOD 2007-2 did help however
to identify the potential gaps in the
system and “choke points in the Log
Order of Battle”, which means that,
from this point of view, the goal of
the exercise had been attained.

One of the primary advantages of
logistics war gaming has been, from
the point of view of many of the
players involved, to bring together a
large group of logistics professionals,
who never had a chance till last year to
meet in person and work directly
together. Some institutional walls are
hence starting to vanish, as the
structures are being collapsed into
more functional entities.

Indeed, in his introductory
remarks, the officer in charge of the
event, Brigadier General David G.
Reist, strongly emphasized the
importance of teamwork and how
such an exercise contributed to do so
by bringing multiple perspectives to
the table: “We are all looking at the
same Rubik’s cube: we are just looking
at different sides of it.”

War gaming is also the only process
that puts together not only the
elements of the restructuring of the
Marine logistic community, but also
the lessons learned from the current
operations in both Afghanistan and
Iraq. The level of combat experience
among participants was, indeed, quite
impressive, and brought a sense of
urgency in the way issues were
addressed and solutions proposed.
One of the recommendations made at
the end of the exercise was to go even
further next time by maybe increasing
the links with the operational side and
by moving from a seminar-style game
to a “game with screen”.

If, for some of the participants,
the overall conceptual picture is still
in flux, LOGMOD 2007-2 was
unanimously acknowledged as a step
in the right direction and helped
identify the difficulties and challenges
ahead. By bringing a large group of
Marine’s together with recent combat
experience, the right focus was
evident throughout the game: “where
do we bring LOGMOD to support
the needs on the battlefield?”

NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2007 38

1022_SPN_DOM_00_019_00 (READ ONLY) 10/18/2007 7:30 AM Page 19

SPACE NEWS 19

October 22, 2007

A pproximately 35 years Where’s the Leadership? stand the process required —
ago the first generation, < >ALBERT E. SMITH never mind the implementa-
near real-time recon- tion — and the deficiency has
naissance satellite system was knowledge to deliver and have learning risk and attendant lution requires timely decisions little to do with number of sys-
authorized and a little more their costs covered to learn and overruns. This is the exception to keep competing demands of tems personnel available.
than five years later it launched! inefficiently produce the sys- today rather than the norm. schedule, cost and capability in
While there were birthing tem? And where else can a cus- balance. These are not commit- No. 6: Congressional interfaces.
pains, it and its successors tomer ignore tens of billions of No. 3: Goldwater-Nichols reform tee or panel or “Mother, may I”
served the nation well for 30 dollars of prior investment in a and space acquisition is an oxy- circumstances but the realm of Let’s face it congressional
years and still counting. mission area “believing” that moron. an accountable capable pro- appropriation and authoriza-
the new kid on the block can gram manager. They don’t exist tion staff have significant lever-
Fast forward to the present; overcome these prior invest- Does anyone really believe today at any level in the space age over acquisition program
the satellite acquisition pro- ments and deliver even more we would have today’s superb acquisition chain and it has efficiency. Too many line items,
gram landscape is littered in bil- capability at a lower cost than Global Positioning System or an nothing to do with the capabili- reprogramming timelines,
lion dollar plus-overruns, near- the legacy team? Competition overhead satellite reconnais- ties of the involved individuals. funding instability, breaks in
ly decade-long development — you just have to love it! sance system if the operators It is the assignment of the re- production schedules, etc., con-
schedules and an industrial were in charge? No way — they sponsibility without the author- tribute to the situation. Acquisi-
base and acquisition manage- No. 2: It’s the economics, stupid. wouldn’t have been able to ar- ity to make the call and have it tion leadership is challenged to
ment system that routinely fails ticulate the need, and certainly stick. fundamentally change this in-
to deliver on commitments. As a The most fiscally efficient wouldn’t have prioritized it or terface or learn to make the
former satellite geek with the programs are those in which funded it over the day-to-day No. 5: It’s about the quality, not current interface work for them
highest respect for the contract you complete development, needs of the operational com- the quantity of system engineering. and that will require an up close
and government personnel and build several of the design and mands. Finally the operators and personal approach with
institutions involved in these evolve new capability into peri- are ill-equipped to manage the Good system engineering is congressional staff that doesn’t
pursuits I offer the following odic block changes staying with technical requirements process grounded in a repeatable and exist today
top 10 observations on why pro- the same government/industry needed to acquire a modern- comprehensive process staffed
gram failures like Future Im- team. Examples include the De- day satellite system. by competent people. It is a crit- Nos. 7-10.
agery Architecture (FIA), Space fense Support Program, De- ical and difficult assignment
Based Infrared System and fense Satellite Communication No. 4: The program manager func- that requires a degree of inde- Go back and read No. 1
some more in the making exist: System, the predecessors of the tion has been seriously wounded. pendence and first among through No. 6 again and under-
FIA, etc. This leverages the pow- equals relative to the product stand they all work together to
No. 1: Competition is a danger- er of amortization lowering unit Time is money in satellite ac- segments. Few programs being create the situation we face to-
ous game. cost and significantly reduces quisition programs, Murphy’s acquired today have or under- day in National Security Space
Law does apply, and issue reso- Acquisition.
Where else but space acqui-
sition can a contactor write a Al Smith is a retired senior Lockheed Martin
slick proposal, commit to give executive who also worked at the National
the customer what they want,
lack the past experience and Reconnaissance Office.

New Possibilities in Space for U.S., France
< >ROBBIN LAIRD

The Sarkozy administration’s clear work together to support entrepreneur- vive contact with financial and techno- changed. NASA has focused on its Com-
commitment to working with the ial space companies. logical realities. mercial Orbital Transportation Services
United States on global security program (COTS) to speed the develop-
policy creates new possibilities for trans- Third, the United States and Europe By re-crafting the exploration enter- ment of commercial services capable of
Atlantic co-operation. With the United need to become full partners in the ex- prise to be a U.S. inspired effort to shape providing transportation to the space
States assured of a new president in 2009 ploration enterprise. a modular approach to Moon explo- station before Ares and Orion are ready
and the new French administration al- ration, a full engagement of France and in the middle of the next decade. How-
ready rethinking its own security, de- Bold new initiatives are not required. Europe would be much easier. After ever, it is highly unlikely that the COTS
fense and space policies, the next U.S. Ongoing national and other separate ef- much hesitation, European space lead- competitors will be available in time to
administration will have an opportunity forts in civil space ought to be coordi- ers are publicly, but even more privately, reliably end shuttle flights.
to build an important new partnership nated to avoid the current duplication of interested in the Moon exploration ef-
— but that effort could begin even now. effort all around the globe. fort. But to gain full commitment of lim- Using ATV in a commercial way in ad-
ited resources, decision-making needs to dition to the role it will play as part of the
By engaging the Sarkozy government Piaget, the famous Swiss child psy- be shared and Europe should be a full intergovernmental agreement that gov-
immediately, the Bush administration chologist, wrote about the play of young partner in crafting a modular approach erns the space station partnership could
could set in motion processes that would children being that of parallel play to the exploration effort. be a transitional commercial solution, a
facilitate positive changes the next ad- whereby children have not yet learned to bridge between the shuttle and a more
ministration could build upon. The next play together in a team effort. As we A good transition element is easily at entrepreneurial approach to space
administration will inevitably face the move into the next 50 years of space ex- hand. The Bush administration wishes to transportation.
challenge of reconciliation with allies ploration, leaving our infancy, it will be end the life of the shuttle to open up the
and working through new international necessary to move beyond parallel play way for the new Ares launch vehicle and Sarkozy’s renewed emphasis on en-
initiatives to reshape the global security to team play, to become realistic about Orion crew capsule, but with the shuttle trepreneurship — after all this is a
agenda and environment. Rather than the limitations on resources, energy and fleet set to retire in 2010 and Ares and French word — can be extended to
writing memoirs justifying their past ac- efforts shaped on purely an American or Orion not scheduled to come online un- space and France should embrace the
tions, the country would be far better European basis. til at least 2015, there will be a significant support of entrepreneurs and perhaps
served if the nation’s current executive capability gap in getting humans and encourage the development of Euro-
leadership set in motion a reconciliation Intersecting European and American cargo to the station, forcing both Eu- pean prizes like the Google Lunar X
that would serve as a real legacy for fu- efforts can provide energy that neither rope and the United States to rely on the Prize.
ture generations. side has by itself. The rise of the non- Russians.
Western space powers provides a realistic The most immediate focus should be
There are three major efforts that challenge requiring the West to pool re- One opportunity to change that dy- on collaboration in what has historically
ought to be addressed. sources and efforts. By crafting a more namic would be for the United States to been called military space. Military space
effective collaborative trans-Atlantic re- make greater use of Europe’s Automat- is a digital domain increasingly shaped by
First, the United States, France and lationship, a more open architecture ed Transfer Vehicle (ATV) to transport the Intelligence Surveillance Reconnais-
other European allies need to launch a would be created for global allies such as cargo to the space station in the post- sance (ISR) enterprise that operates
real collaborative military space effort, Japan and India to participate more ful- shuttle era. European space transporta- from space and airborne assets tied to an
one in which the military’s digital future is ly in a global space enterprise. tion also can be part of the overall strat- increasingly complex ground-based pro-
anchored in a collective defense and a egy for returning to the Moon. cessing domain. As the digital domain
new, more effective global security system. Crafting a core, trans-Atlantic explo- becomes the heart of the military and se-
ration architecture would be a central Entrepreneurial space efforts must curity systems crucial to protecting the
Second, the United States and Eu- pillar to the global space enterprise. The also be an important element of the way West, there are numerous new possibili-
rope — led by France, which spends Bush administration deserves praise for ahead for Western space strategies. Eu-
more on space than any of its partners in re-energizing the human exploration ef- rope has been very reluctant to embrace SEE LAIRD PAGE 21
the European Space Agency — need to forts of the United States. Yet the current entrepreneurs, but this could be
plan is too narrowly nationalistic to sur-

1022_SPN_DOM_00_021_00 (READ ONLY) 10/19/2007 2:51 PM Page 21

SPACE NEWS 21 HorizonOn The OCTOBER

October 22, 2007 www.spacenews.com
Fax: 01-703-750-8913
LAIRD FROM PAGE 19 will be far more capable, and ADVERTISEMENTS October 30 – November 2, 2007
reduce the threat of signal VICE PRESIDENT/PUBLISHER
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21st CENTURY AIR BATTLE MANAGEMENT

21st CENTURY AIR BATTLE MANAGEMENT 21st CENTURY AIR BATTLE MANAGEMENT
A subject which is widely ignored, but of increasing importance, is air space management – a subject
that includes many aspects from ‘blue-on-blue’ to battle management. We aim to explore many of
these in this and subsequent issues. We start with a discussion on the use of new technology and
new air platforms to provide an alternative to the relatively vulnerable ground-based combined air
operations centre (CAOC) and the effect that this would have on strike options in the Middle East.

Crafting 21st Century Air Battle
Management: A Critical Deterrent in
the Middle East

by Dr Robbin Laird

Robbin Laird is Chief Partner of ICSA LLC, a Paris- and failure of deterrence, robust military options across the
Washington-based aerospace and defence consulting spectrum of conflict.
company. Here he considers how an air battle management
system shaped by the fifth-generation aircraft and their At the heart of the deployment
associated technologies will introduce a whole new meaning of the F-22 would be the
to the CAOC as a weapon system, and provide new options for effort to shape a 21st Century
the US in the Middle East. battle management system
for the Middle East
While there has been much press on the Iranian challenge in
the Middle East, there has been considerably less discussion Rather than an all-or-nothing option, the President would
on how Iran might be deterred or dealt with in various have a range of capabilities available to work with core allies
Middle East contingencies. Notably, in the United States, in the region. A 21st Century air battle management system
the Bush Administration’s initiation of actions against the could provide a core capability for allies to work together
former government of Iraq has shaped the public discussion. to craft a secure second-strike force against Iran, making it
This discussion essentially boils down to an all-or-nothing clear that any strike against our Arab or Israeli allies would
strategy: the US will discuss with the Iranians and tough be met with a spectrum of options available to a strike force
choices will be obviated or the US will suddenly strike with directed by the F-22.
massive air and naval assets to start ‘regime change’ in Iran.
The difficulty rests on the fact that neither option is very The CAOC as Weapon System
realistic in terms of US options or likely Iranian behaviour. The USAF considers the Combined Air Operations Center
(CAOC) as a weapon system in and of itself. But until the
The barely noticed story of the Gates Pentagon denying advent of the fifth-generation aircraft, CAOCs are physically
three times requests by the US Air Force to deploy the located on the ground or dependent on AWACS, which
F-22 to the Middle East should have suggested another presents a large profile for available air-to-air missiles. With
dimension of how to deal with Iran. But because there is the advent of the fifth-generation aircraft, first by the F-22
a misperception that the F-22 is part of some ‘future war’ and then by the much more numerous and allied-anchored
considerations and not relevant to anything ongoing in this
part of the 21st Century, a core dimension of deterrence
of Iran was missed. At the heart of the deployment of the
F-22 would be the effort to shape a 21st Century battle
management system for the Middle East, one which can
provide an effective deterrent to Iran or, in the case of the

54 RUSI DEFENCE SYSTEMS OCTOBER 2008

21st CENTURY AIR BATTLE MANAGEMENT

F-35, the CAOC will become enabled by the flying ISR 21st CENTURY AIR BATTLE MANAGEMENT
and C2 systems which constitute the fifth generation. The
combination of sensors and stealth allows the new aircraft
to operate at altitudes (in the case of the F-22) or over
adversary air space (in the case of both aircraft) that allow
the aircraft to serve as nodes in a dispersed or distribution
air battle management system. In this way, they act as an
extension to the CAOC.

F–22 in Battle Mangement A Significant Evolution
As Western-Arab allies deploy new generation aircraft (in By crafting a new battle management system directed by
2009 with the Typhoon in Saudi and the Block 60 F-16s now the fifth-generation aircraft, the Iranians would be facing
in the UAE), there is a real opportunity for the US to craft a a distributed strike and strike management asset able to
new air battle management system which operates at higher strike against limited targets on their territory or adjacent
altitude and is not subject to Iranian strikes against ground- to their territory. They would be facing as well a core asset
based installations. The Pentagon talks of building partner able to lead a concerted, comprehensive allied strike against
capacity, but here is an instance where simply leveraging specific or general targets dependent upon Iranian actions.
capacity may turn the tide. The F-22 is evolving into a battle In other words, rather than being a futuristic weapon, the
management system able to fly at substantially higher F-22 and then the F-35 would be part of a very significant
altitude than the F-35. After performing its air dominance evolution of air battle management in the Middle East – an
missions, the F-22 can transition into a battle management evolution crucial to deterrence of Iran and reinforcement of
and strike management aircraft. Indeed, with Block 35, the allied capabilities.
F-22 can be conceived of as the brain of the overall strike
force of air and naval strike assets. The F-22 is evolving into a
battle management system able
The USAF wished to deploy the aircraft to start the process to fly at substantially higher
of learning how to shape a new air battle management altitude than the F-35
system, and as the F-35 deploys, lessons learned by the
F-22 and allied concept of operations experience can be This will be especially significant as Iran procures modern
transferred to the new aircraft. air defences from potential vendors. Countering air defences
is increasingly difficult given the evolution of Chinese and
This connectivity focus has received a new boost from a Russian mobile systems. For example, the SA-10 can be
recent Joint Requirements Oversight Council (JROC) decision. dismantled, moved and ready for action in a very short
In July, the JROC approved the F-35 data link as the new period of time. The trend line is towards rapid mobility in
standard for integrating low-observable airborne assets in the adversary’s air defences, and mobility in this domain
denied-access environments. Specifically, the Multifunction means that the incoming strike aircraft must be able to
Advanced Data Link (MADL) is to be used by both the F-22 do target identification, target acquisition and strike
and F-35 as the centrepiece for their data transfer and, missions simultaneously. A key aspect of the new fifth-
because the fifth-generation aircraft will be transferring data generation aircraft is its machine-processing capability
to robotic airborne radars, the MADL will be important for the onboard, which allows the pilot to simultaneously do
next-generation UAVs as well. The JSF MADL system includes operations that historically required several platforms
six phased Array Antenna Assemblies (AAAs) and three operating sequentially.
Antenna Interface Units (AIUs). The system allows aircraft to
communicate within and between flights in order to share a
common view of the battlespace. USAF and senior officials in
the JSF programme office view MADL as the centrepiece of
elaborating a new relationship between manned and robotic
aircraft. Currently, UAVs are built with little regard to their
connectivity with manned systems. With the F-35 coming on
line as a ‘flying combat system’, to use the phrase favoured
by the USMC, the computer systems of the F-35 will manage
new robotic systems. And those robotic systems will become
part of the airborne air battle management system. As General
Davis has recently underscored, “We will change processing
systems twice within the next five years. We will do this by
simply taking out the chip and replacing it. The F-35 is a flying
computer able to manage the battlespace.”

OCTOBER 2008 RUSI DEFENCE SYSTEMS 55

21st CENTURY AIR BATTLE MANAGEMENT

21st CENTURY AIR BATTLE MANAGEMENT

An F-22 Raptor is marshalled in preparation for a hot refuelling [US Air Force, Airman 1st Class Jamal D. Sutter] 

And discrete targeting options are available as well. If the throughout the distributed network. Clearly, working through
F-22 had been operational in 1998, the senior terrorist the ‘connectivity workspace’ to achieve a new air battle
leadership targeted by President Clinton would not likely management system is a strategic challenge, yet it is one
be alive today. Given the ability of the F-22 to penetrate air which is inherent in evolving technologies.
space undetected, and the ability to process battle damage
information and to re-target ordnance on board, a wave of Such a system allows the generation of a much wider
F-22s can operate to eliminate even hardened targets. range of attack options and an ability to redirect and strike
against remaining targets very rapidly. The acknowledged
Such a system allows the capability to communicate and be responsive to tactical
generation of a much wider range battle commanders would greatly leverage any ground forces
of attack options and an ability that may be required for low collateral damage missions. As
to redirect and strike against a result, the new air battle management system will allow a
remaining targets very rapidly much more flexible set of strategic and tactical options for
decision-makers. Flexibility allows decision-makers to shift
Survivable, Dispersed and Capable away from all-or-nothing deterrent options; and peeling
By integrating the F-22 and then the F-35 into an evolving away at the onion becomes a very viable effort.
air battle management capability, the US and its allies
would have a more survivable, more dispersed and more In short, air battle management shaped by the fifth-
capable system. Indeed, the whole point of the battle generation aircraft and their associated technologies will
management system directed through the fifth-generation introduce a whole new meaning to the CAOC as a weapon
aircraft is that battle management can be generated system. In fact, it will allow the CAOC to move more towards
the US Marine Corps’ understanding of distributed operations,
and become more involved in deep operations. And as it does
so, decision-makers will have more effective options in dealing
with adversaries. The Mullahs of Iran like absolutes; it would be
good to give them a range of relative threats that they have
no absolute possibility of eliminating.

56 RUSI DEFENCE SYSTEMS OCTOBER 2008

www.rusi.org Operational Studies

Frontline Insights

Personal Experience of Modern Conflict

October 2008 - March 2009 | RUSI | Whitehall | London

Frontline Insights: Personal Experience of Modern Combat
RUSI is delighted to announce a forthcoming series of lunch-time presentations at
which unit commanders from recent operational deployments will share aspects of their
personal experience of modern conflict. Confirmed dates and subjects include:
• Operational Military Liaison Teams: Building The Afghan Army

Monday 13 October 2008
Lieutenant Colonel S J Downey, Commanding Officer 2 Yorks (Green Howards)
• RAF Tornado Operations over Iraq
Monday 3 November 2008
Wing Commander D J E Cooper, Officer Commanding 617 Squadron.

Dates and subjects awaiting confirmation include:
• Royal Navy and Task Force Operations in the Persian Gulf

December 2008
• Infantry Operations in Southern Afghanistan

Tuesday 13 January 2009
• See www.rusi.org/events/ for more events awaiting confirmation.

For more information please visit www.rusi.org/events, e-mail [email protected] or tel: +44(0) 7747 2619

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OCTOBER 2008 RUSI DEFENCE SYSTEMS 57

THE DEFENCE INDUSTry

Evolving Defence Business Models:
Challenges of Globalisation, Systems
Integration and National Interests

by Dr Robbin Laird

Robbin Laird is Chief Partner of ICSA LLC, industry seeking global footprints, lean programmes, which means that the US
a Paris- and Washington-based aerospace production and flexibility of operations. government will be challenged to define
and defence consulting company. He considers Governments want to be prioritised its relationship with the large systems
the future for Western defence industries and by ‘their’ industry while industry seeks integrators it will inevitably continue to
the challenges that both governments and global capacity to provide customised rely on to a very significant extent for its
industry will have to face. solutions to ‘their’ governments. Tensions military and security capabilities. For allied
are inevitable with such crosscutting governments, change is afoot as well.
A s we face the end of the Bush orientations and approaches. With the retirement of Lord Drayson,
Administration, the retirement the clear commitment of government to
of the father of the UK Defence Which companies will a strategic bargain between industry and
Industrial Strategy and the government on strategic sectors is unclear.
processes accompanying the new French The UK relies on foreign contractors
White Paper, it is a good time to reflect survive the downturn more than any allied government, so
on how Western defence business models in spending? Which working through a firm commitment
might evolve. Defence business models to strategic sectors for UK MoD makes
are explicitly or implicitly based on the strategic changes will be a lot of strategic sense. But will this
partnerships between government and the generated by the new effort continue? And what role will the
private sector. Those partnerships are always private sector play in the evolving defence
under stress and subject to change and the Administration? strategy of the United Kingdom?

next few years will see an intensification of With regard to France, the pending
conflict within those partnerships.
release of the White Paper of the Sarkozy
The Next Phase

With the end of the Bush Administration Administration will be the beginning of
and recalibration of the Iraq engagement, a blood-letting between government and
Industry faces the overall the next Administration will pose new industry over the strategic partnerships
challenge of adapting to challenges to industry. The US defence between the two sectors. With President

global supply chains industry has benefited from being lifted Sarkozy’s clear commitment to working
by rising waters and the war in Iraq has with allies, French industrial policy will
revitalised once moribund industries, such be moved towards more open markets.
as the ground vehicle business. The surprise decision in the US towards a
As we face transition, several challenges transatlantic tanker will challenge Sarko
can be identified which will shape the The end is in sight. Which companies will to open his markets more effectively and
future course of the defence industry survive the downturn in spending? Which deliberately. How will the defence majors,
and its partnerships with government strategic changes will be generated by the notably EADS and Thales, respond?
and the militaries, which industry serves. new Administration? Which industrial
Industry faces the overall challenge of players will prove best positioned and
Key Industrial Challenges

adapting to global supply chains, serving most agile in making the transition? As always, Western defence companies,
militaries involved in global operations, being publicly traded, face the challenges
shifting from platforms to systems, the It appears that the US is heading into of the stock market and the availability
growing salience of services, the political one of its cycles of intense criticisms of credit. As US spending goes down,
underbelly of globalisation, and the of contractors – it is not clear what will the concerns of the 1990s are likely to
crosscutting advantages of providing symbolise the $600 toilet seat, but surely return. How will defence companies be
lead systems integrator functions to a symbol will be at hand. Furthermore, able to demonstrate to shareholders a
governments. Governments face the the US Congress has now outlawed the stable shareholder value? At the end of
challenge of coming to terms with use of lead systems integrators for defence the day, aerospace and defence stocks are

98 RUSI DEFENCE SYSTEMS JUNE 2008

THE DEFENCE INDUSTry

of interest to institutional shareholders minded playing the national champion capabilities necessary for modern defence
largely because of their relative stability. card while being one of the most effective at home and abroad. The lead systems
Without stability, values deteriorate commercial players in globalisation. integration (LSI) concept was generated as
and governments face the challenge of The shift from platforms to systems shorthand for the public-private partnership
re-stabilising their defence industrial changes the nature of industrial to provide for such capability. Although
sectors. The US build-up of the Bush years competition. Historically, platform heavily criticised now in the United States,
provided a strong residual support for the builders have sought to monopolise the the function remains important.
UK as its defence companies reached deep systems, which are put on the platforms
into the American heartland to build up in order to build an effective relationship But what experiments like Deepwater
capability within the US. Any downturn with ‘their’ national government. But, with the US Coast Guard (USCG) have
in the US will put pressure on the UK increasingly, governments want modular demonstrated is that you cannot have
Government as well. platforms with competition for the an LSI without an effective partnership.
systems placed on these platforms. The USCG is effectively dismantling
With President Sarkozy’s And further competition is provided with Deepwater and going back to a platform-
clear commitment to regard to the place of particular platforms by-platform acquisition strategy because
working with allies, within the networked capability of national that fits its culture. Yet the strategic
French industrial policy and coalition forces. For example, the goal of Deepwater – to provide for a
will be moved towards F-35 is in many ways the first-generation strategic missions context and concept of
more open markets flying combat system, rather than a fifth- operations approach within which asset
generation aircraft. Nations, which buy the acquisition would occur – remains as
A particularly compelling challenge for the aircraft, will be concerned to leverage the significant as ever.
large defence and aerospace companies is combat systems capability of the aircraft to
effectively competing in the presence of help integrate ground and maritime forces On the one hand, defence
global supply chains. On the one hand, with air capabilities. Which companies companies serve ‘their’
defence companies serve ‘their’ national within the procuring nation will be part of national masters, but on
masters, but on the other hand they draw the business plan to do this? the other hand they draw
from transatlantic and global suppliers. The growing salience of logistics support from transatlantic and
This is especially true with the rise of and services both at home and abroad global suppliers
countries like India in providing digital for a nation’s armed forces will be crucial
content and software to global industry. to the evolving business models of Key Governmental Challenges
defence firms. The original equipment in Dealing with Industry
National debates do not effectively take manufacturers have a special role in this A most compelling mismatch between
this into account. For example, the effort, but not exclusively so. Indeed, government procurement and global
recent tanker decision by the USAF has governments will seek competition to industry has opened up. Governments
been heavily criticised for relying on the provide the logistics services and support still tend to think in programme-by-
‘French’ company EADS to provide the necessary for their equipment at home, programme acquisition while industry is
tanker, with the claim that 40,000 jobs and certainly in support of deployed looking at global markets and partnerships
will be lost. It is even suggested that US forces. And cross-national efforts for to deliver value to shareholders. The gap
pilots will soon have to speak French to deployed systems will provide a way to is significant and growing as providers
fly American tankers. Besides the patent reduce costs as well. become increasingly global.
untruths of all of the above, it has not But services do not carry the same
mattered to the critics of the debate. How profit margin as the manufacture of How does government effectively
12–15 airframes a year provide 40,000 equipment. How will defence firms manage its equities in the defence
jobs is a mystery to most analysts. This manage portfolios of capabilities, ranging sector? A bureaucratic control response
is in addressable market over the next from manufacturing to services? And, is characteristic of government seeking
20 years of a projected 25,000 airframes. because these portfolios carry with them to control processes rather than
Both the Boeing and Airbus airframes very different profit margins, how will looking at outcomes. Governments
are globally sourced. The core national companies effectively manage diversity face a significant shortage of qualified
jobs are customising the aircraft for the across their companies? procurement personnel – a shortage
USAF customer and these are exclusively Finally, governments will continue to that will likely be chronic – which makes
US jobs. But the debate reflects the rely on the large companies to provide a bureaucratic approach to control of
problem and Boeing, notably, has not systems integration skills and cross-sectoral industry significant.

june 2008 RUSI DEFENCE SYSTEMS 99

THE DEFENCE INDUSTry

Governments seek to control the adapt. The large defence primes have not supply chain policies for both industry
proliferation of defence technologies fully met the challenge of real integration and government.
for legitimate reasons – to reduce the across their internal sectors or business
threats which they will face in the global groups, but with constriction of spending, New technologies, notably nano-science
environment. But the global supply pressure for creating greater synergy and nano-technology, will emerge,
chains outpace the technology controls. within the large companies will grow. pressing for strategic redesign of
And national approaches that look at Those companies with more internal new defence systems and capabilities.
widgets rather than supporting strategic agility will be best positioned to take Defence companies will seek to position
capabilities will undercut real technology account of strategic realignment. themselves through commercial
controls. The problem of technology There will be a smaller number of new and global partnerships to be able to
control will only deepen as the global platform starts as governments pursue leverage these new technologies. But
economic landscape changes in favour of modularity. Competition will shift to the overwhelming majority of these
India and China, or to put it a different the enablement of modular platforms. technologies will not emerge from the
way, the engagement of Western firms in Control of platform production defence sector, but rather migrate there.
India and China go up. will clearly provide a leg-up on the Those defence companies, which can
competition, but it will not eliminate it. position themselves most effectively to
The growing salience of As security challenges grow in importance partner with technology and R&D firms,
logistics support and in relation to military ones, the large will redefine themselves as capability
services both at home defence primes will face increasing providers for their governments in defence
and abroad for a nation’s competition from the commercial sector. and security.
armed forces will be This will be especially true as protection
crucial to the evolving of the global infrastructure grid becomes Governments will face a significant
business models of increasing salience to global players. challenge in restructuring to provide
Commercial companies in cyberspace, IT, for strategic leadership in providing
The problem is exacerbated by the growing communications and related sectors are oversight to ‘its’ defence industry. As
digital content of defence systems, growing better positioned than defence primes to this industry can survive only by living
reliance on telecommunications, the provide global solutions. But the defence off global technology and supply chains,
globalisation of software development, and primes are the specialists in negotiating governments will be challenged to
the globalisation of the components that go with governments and will remain central ensure that strategic needs can be met in
into defence systems. Nationalistic solutions gatekeepers for those governments. a cost-effective and timely manner.
will simply fail to deal with the challenge, An additional security challenge facing
and will leave the nation that decides to defence primes and their suppliers is New technologies,
isolate itself looking increasingly like the protecting the integrity of the supply notably nano-science
ever-decreasing capability of the Soviet chain. Cyber-attacks and cyber-warfare are and nano-technology,
arsenal at the end of the Cold War. of enhanced concern in the years ahead. will emerge, pressing
Ensuring that the virtual enterprises for strategic redesign
The Way Ahead which underlie modern research and of new defence systems
Constrained spending will enhance the development (R&D) and manufacturing and capabilities
struggle for survival among the major systems provides multiple attack points
defence firms. Because of defence for the modern cyber-warrior. Protecting In short, the next decade will see spending
consolidation, the struggle will entail against such challenges will be crucial to constraints, new challenges to reshape
seeking to shape the contours of the both industry and government in tapping the public-private partnership in the
nation’s strategic policy to favour into a complex supply chain. defence sector, and a very fluid global
the mix of capabilities, for which the And supply chains are vulnerable to a environment within which industry
particular company is best positioned. number of global challenges as well, will both collaborate and compete with
But this can go only so far, as the leaders ranging from currency fluctuations, governments. To meet global challenges,
of a nation are forced to deal with through transport of core subsystems government needs an industry that speaks
changing strategic realities. and core components, to potential ‘global’. But nations continue to speak
political conflict, which can erode ‘local’. Balancing the tensions between
As national leaders reshape forces to support for a robust commitment ‘local’ and ‘global’ will be a central
meet evolving strategic needs, the large to building a collaborative product. challenge for the defence primes in the
contractors will face the challenge to Effective management, in providing for decade ahead.
global alternatives in light of evolving
global dynamics, will be a key part of

100 RUSI DEFENCE SYSTEMS JUNE 2008

www.rusi.org

HSR Events for 2008

25-26 June 4th Annual Science and Technology For Homeland Security and Resilience
1 July Olympic Security: Building Resilience for 2012 and Beyond
3 September Climate Change and Security
11 September The Role of Media in Emergencies
2-3 October International Terrorism Conference
St Andrews University (CSTPV) and RUSI Joint Event
8-9 October UK Resilience
2-3 December Intelligence and Security
11 December Emergency and Disaster Response

HSR Research Projects for 2008

Counter-Radicalization Assessment Project
Counter-Terrorist Capability Research
Climate Change – Translating Science into Security Planning Scenarios
National Security Market Analysis

“Providing integration and coherence for the new security environment”

0728_SPN_DOM_00_019_00 (READ ONLY) 7/24/2008 6:51 AM Page 19

The recent controversial fir- SPACE NEWS 19
ings of Secretary of the U.S.
Air Force Michael Wynne July 28, 2008 reduce the need for proprietary
and Air Force Chief of Staff military space assets as well.
Michael Mosley provide a strategic The Future of Military Space
inflection point to reflect on the < ROBBIN LAIRD > In addition, as ground forces
evolution of the U.S. Air Force and become predominant, more
the implications of that evolution One path would see air systems tional awareness to the ground dominance effort. coalition forces are likely to play
for military space. The U.S. Air function largely in their own do- and maritime forces. As the The impact of the fifth genera- enhanced roles as well for opera-
Force is at the center of U.S. mili- main as shapers of air combat; the manned systems are deployed and tions like stability missions. In
tary space, both in terms of pro- F-22 would be seen as the successor their capabilities better under- tion aircraft on the overall U.S. such a situation, reliance on com-
curement and demand. Nearly 85 of the F-15 and the F-35 as the suc- stood and exploited, the role of military enterprise has not been mercial systems — encrypted —
percent of all U.S. military data go cessor of the F-16. Robotic vehicles robotic vehicles in the air network well articulated by the U.S. Air but not based on proprietary U.S.
through Air Force systems, and the would eat away at the numbers of will go up dramatically. Force. The F-22 has the potential military satellite buses or systems
dependence of U.S. military con- manned aircraft but would largely to become the centerpiece of the can go up dramatically. Innovative
nectivity on the Air Force is crucial function either as adjuncts of the A wolfpack concept is likely to U.S. strike force. As the connectiv- approaches such as the use of
enough that Secretary Wynne air battle or the flying intelligence, emerge in a way that allows the ity of the aircraft is enhanced to hosted payloads can be aggres-
placed significant emphasis on the surveillance, reconnaissance (ISR) manned systems to direct and be take advantage of its significant sit- sively pursued if one exploits the
challenge of crafting cyber capabil- platforms for U.S. ground forces. embedded within airborne robot- uational awareness capability, the advantages of the new generation
ities to defend the network. ic networks. Those robotic net- F-22 can become the brain of the aircraft and their networked ro-
Following this latter path, the works, in turn, would work closely strike complex. botic systems.
After having worked through approach would be to continue to with maritime and ground forces.
the “Back to Basics” effort led by focus on significant space-based The capability of providing for The F-35 is not an air superior- But if these advantages are not
former Undersecretary of the Air ISR and communications systems collaborative decision-making ity aircraft, but rather a “flying exploited, because of classic mili-
Force Ron Sega, the service’s to support global air operations among maritime, ground and air combat system.” Its ISR and com- tary stovepiping and service sepa-
military space effort has been and U.S. ground forces when they commanders becomes possible as mand and control (C2) capabili- ratist mentalities, then the need for
stabilized, but the future strate- are initially inserted into combat the interactive network shapes op- ties will make it capable of becom- proprietary military space systems
gic direction remains to be fully areas. The heritage structure tions and provides choices to the ing the centerpiece of the kind of goes up. However, the investment
determined. would be replaced by a significant joint commanders. air-ground operations we have ex- dollars are unlikely to be available
investment in satellites and sys- perienced in the last few years of to do so. The end result is that the
Much like the challenge of re- tems with robust capabilities able The role of space in this world warfare in Iraq and Afghanistan. holy grail of ubiquitous bandwidth
placing the shuttle, the military to do complex support activities has the potential to become radi- How the U.S. Marine Corps has for the Global Information Grid
space sector faces the replacement without relying on significant air- cally redefined. The proprietary been articulating its approach to will not be provided. Indeed, one
of an entire generation of satellites. breathing intermediaries. U.S. military space network is the use of the F-35 at the center- can question whether the technol-
Either the regeneration or re- most significant when the U.S. piece of its Marine Air Ground ogy or the dollars are available to
placement of the current military A very different path is sug- seeks to establish air superiority Task Force is the harbinger of what provide for such a goal.
space architecture is required. This gested by the potential of the fifth and conducts joint and combined could be done for the joint forces.
is especially important since the generation aircraft and their asso- maritime and air strikes against Rather, the opportunity to ex-
next presidential administration’s ciated robotic systems. Here the adversaries, either nation state or After the establishment of air ploit the twin promises of the new
preferences for military strategy onboard processing capabilities of discrete adversary targets located superiority and support for the fifth generation aircraft with new
and procurement cannot be deter- the F-22 and F-35 would be recog- on foreign territory. Here the in- joint strike effort has succeeded, opportunities provided by com-
mined at this point — no matter nized for what they are — namely, teraction among U.S. military sys- and, if the mission requires the in- mercial space is available. But op-
which candidate wins. Indeed, the breakthrough capabilities to tems must be carefully protected sertion of force and its support for tions do not create capabilities
twin challenges of replacing the process data for their own use, for and highly integrated for a suc- initial operations, then the re- without significant effort and clear
shuttle and determining the strate- the network of air combat systems cessful insertion of force. In a way, liance on proprietary military focus. Will the new administration
gic direction of military space will and to integrate their capabilities given the key role of the evolution space can go down dramatically. take advantage of this opportunity?
determine to what extent the Unit- with maritime and ground forces. of the F-22, the military space net- Reliance on inserted air assets —
ed States is at the center of 21st cen- Wynne refers to this as the air sys- work would be sized to support the manned and unmanned net- Robbin Laird, PhD, is an independent consultant
tury space activities. tems providing spherical situa- this initial air superiority and air work — to provide flying ISR and who has worked closely with the U.S. Air Force,
communications support would
Marine Corps, Navy and Coast Guard for many
years and has focused on the connectivity chal-

lenge to craft combined and joint forces.

Building Transparency in Space

< THERESA HITCHENS >

Senior Pentagon and U.S. Air Force commercial satellite industry recently have outgoing chairman of the U.N. Committee seem to be reluctant to consider using the
leaders have insightfully recognized banded together to begin examining new for the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space in Vi- private sector — despite the fact that the
that international cooperation among ideas for data sharing. One concept, enna, Austria. Based on industry experi- Air Force program is chronically under-
governments and the satellite industry will known by the rather bland moniker of the ence so far, this is a feasible goal — unless funded, understaffed and often underap-
be required to ensure the level of space sit- “data center,” would seek to create a shared politics get in the way. preciated by service leaders. While it is ob-
uational awareness (SSA) needed to pro- repository of information about satellite vious that there are going to be issues of
tect U.S. and the rest of the world’s orbital positions, using both carefully protected And, sadly, politics and bureaucracy protecting the security of military and in-
assets. In recent months, a number of sen- operator data and Air Force space surveil- seem to be impeding progress already. De- telligence gathering satellites with any out-
ior U.S. officials — from both the Defense lance data. Eventually, this center could spite industry attempts to engage the mili- side system, it is just as obvious that obses-
and State Departments — also have been provide an automated conjunction warn- tary space community in the ongoing com- sive secrecy will come back to bite all
traveling abroad to discuss potential future ing and assessment service for the geosta- mercial discussions, the Pentagon and Air satellite operators, including the military
data-sharing plans with U.S. friends and al- tionary belt. The idea is to establish an eco- Force Space Command so far have failed and the intelligence community. Further, it
lies with an eye to creating a so-called nomical and trusted voluntary system that to fully and constructively engage. This is is not at all clear that the government “busi-
“Neighborhood Watch” network. exploits current and emergent capabilities, disturbing, as it is apparent that many of ness as usual” model, which is focused on
rather than simply adding more operator the needed improvements for data shar- building new hardware and a new program
Today, the majority of space actors re- data into the current decades-old system. ing, prediction of close approaches — or around it, is likely to be the best answer to
ceive orbital data from an Air Force-run “conjunctions”— and methods for colli- the problem at hand.
program known as the Commercial and In addition, others in the international sion avoidance already could be imple-
Foreign Entities (CFE) program. There is satcom community also are informally ex- mented based on industry know-how. For Instead of blindly forging ahead with
broad agreement in the government and ploring the possibility of a truly global SSA example, the Center for Space Standards plans for the future of the U.S. SSA pro-
commercial space communities that this database that would include inputs from a and Innovation, a space research group in gram, the Air Force and the Pentagon
program needs to be substantially revised. wide range of spacefaring nations — not Colorado Springs, Colo., actually has should be paying much closer attention to
The Air Force, in fact, currently is under- just the United States — as well as industry. launched a process for data sharing and the industry efforts and move to take ad-
taking a study of SSA needs and is at- Indeed, there are a number of potential conjunction analysis that is significantly vantage of what foundation stones already
tempting to develop a solid plan for im- sensor assets in Europe that could con- more responsive, both in time and speci- have been laid. There is too much at stake
proving its outdated approach to sharing tribute; French President Nicolas Sarkozy ficity of output data, than current Air to allow knee-jerk secrecy and a “not in-
data gathered from its global sensing net- has pledged to spearhead the development Force practice. Further, standards for uni- vented here” attitude to delay progress to-
work. But while nearly everyone agrees on of a collaborative European space surveil- formly reporting data among the owner ward improved space transparency.
the need for better data sharing to in- lance network. The concept of a global and operators exist under the auspices of
crease transparency in space, avoid colli- database further is being considered as the international Consultative Committee Theresa Hitchens is the director of the World Security
sions and monitor debris, the question of part of a larger effort to define cooperative for Space Data Standards.
how that will be done is as yet unclear. measures to sustain the long-term use of Institute’s Center for Defense Information (CDI) and chief of
space, launched by Gerard Brachet, the Yet, those responsible at the Pentagon
Thus, many of the major actors in the and within Air Force Space Command the CDI Space Security Project, which operates in coopera-

tion with the Secure World Foundation.















0728_SPN_DOM_00_019_00 (READ ONLY) 7/24/2008 6:51 AM Page 19

The recent controversial fir- SPACE NEWS 19
ings of Secretary of the U.S.
Air Force Michael Wynne July 28, 2008 reduce the need for proprietary
and Air Force Chief of Staff military space assets as well.
Michael Mosley provide a strategic The Future of Military Space
inflection point to reflect on the < ROBBIN LAIRD > In addition, as ground forces
evolution of the U.S. Air Force and become predominant, more
the implications of that evolution One path would see air systems tional awareness to the ground dominance effort. coalition forces are likely to play
for military space. The U.S. Air function largely in their own do- and maritime forces. As the The impact of the fifth genera- enhanced roles as well for opera-
Force is at the center of U.S. mili- main as shapers of air combat; the manned systems are deployed and tions like stability missions. In
tary space, both in terms of pro- F-22 would be seen as the successor their capabilities better under- tion aircraft on the overall U.S. such a situation, reliance on com-
curement and demand. Nearly 85 of the F-15 and the F-35 as the suc- stood and exploited, the role of military enterprise has not been mercial systems — encrypted —
percent of all U.S. military data go cessor of the F-16. Robotic vehicles robotic vehicles in the air network well articulated by the U.S. Air but not based on proprietary U.S.
through Air Force systems, and the would eat away at the numbers of will go up dramatically. Force. The F-22 has the potential military satellite buses or systems
dependence of U.S. military con- manned aircraft but would largely to become the centerpiece of the can go up dramatically. Innovative
nectivity on the Air Force is crucial function either as adjuncts of the A wolfpack concept is likely to U.S. strike force. As the connectiv- approaches such as the use of
enough that Secretary Wynne air battle or the flying intelligence, emerge in a way that allows the ity of the aircraft is enhanced to hosted payloads can be aggres-
placed significant emphasis on the surveillance, reconnaissance (ISR) manned systems to direct and be take advantage of its significant sit- sively pursued if one exploits the
challenge of crafting cyber capabil- platforms for U.S. ground forces. embedded within airborne robot- uational awareness capability, the advantages of the new generation
ities to defend the network. ic networks. Those robotic net- F-22 can become the brain of the aircraft and their networked ro-
Following this latter path, the works, in turn, would work closely strike complex. botic systems.
After having worked through approach would be to continue to with maritime and ground forces.
the “Back to Basics” effort led by focus on significant space-based The capability of providing for The F-35 is not an air superior- But if these advantages are not
former Undersecretary of the Air ISR and communications systems collaborative decision-making ity aircraft, but rather a “flying exploited, because of classic mili-
Force Ron Sega, the service’s to support global air operations among maritime, ground and air combat system.” Its ISR and com- tary stovepiping and service sepa-
military space effort has been and U.S. ground forces when they commanders becomes possible as mand and control (C2) capabili- ratist mentalities, then the need for
stabilized, but the future strate- are initially inserted into combat the interactive network shapes op- ties will make it capable of becom- proprietary military space systems
gic direction remains to be fully areas. The heritage structure tions and provides choices to the ing the centerpiece of the kind of goes up. However, the investment
determined. would be replaced by a significant joint commanders. air-ground operations we have ex- dollars are unlikely to be available
investment in satellites and sys- perienced in the last few years of to do so. The end result is that the
Much like the challenge of re- tems with robust capabilities able The role of space in this world warfare in Iraq and Afghanistan. holy grail of ubiquitous bandwidth
placing the shuttle, the military to do complex support activities has the potential to become radi- How the U.S. Marine Corps has for the Global Information Grid
space sector faces the replacement without relying on significant air- cally redefined. The proprietary been articulating its approach to will not be provided. Indeed, one
of an entire generation of satellites. breathing intermediaries. U.S. military space network is the use of the F-35 at the center- can question whether the technol-
Either the regeneration or re- most significant when the U.S. piece of its Marine Air Ground ogy or the dollars are available to
placement of the current military A very different path is sug- seeks to establish air superiority Task Force is the harbinger of what provide for such a goal.
space architecture is required. This gested by the potential of the fifth and conducts joint and combined could be done for the joint forces.
is especially important since the generation aircraft and their asso- maritime and air strikes against Rather, the opportunity to ex-
next presidential administration’s ciated robotic systems. Here the adversaries, either nation state or After the establishment of air ploit the twin promises of the new
preferences for military strategy onboard processing capabilities of discrete adversary targets located superiority and support for the fifth generation aircraft with new
and procurement cannot be deter- the F-22 and F-35 would be recog- on foreign territory. Here the in- joint strike effort has succeeded, opportunities provided by com-
mined at this point — no matter nized for what they are — namely, teraction among U.S. military sys- and, if the mission requires the in- mercial space is available. But op-
which candidate wins. Indeed, the breakthrough capabilities to tems must be carefully protected sertion of force and its support for tions do not create capabilities
twin challenges of replacing the process data for their own use, for and highly integrated for a suc- initial operations, then the re- without significant effort and clear
shuttle and determining the strate- the network of air combat systems cessful insertion of force. In a way, liance on proprietary military focus. Will the new administration
gic direction of military space will and to integrate their capabilities given the key role of the evolution space can go down dramatically. take advantage of this opportunity?
determine to what extent the Unit- with maritime and ground forces. of the F-22, the military space net- Reliance on inserted air assets —
ed States is at the center of 21st cen- Wynne refers to this as the air sys- work would be sized to support the manned and unmanned net- Robbin Laird, PhD, is an independent consultant
tury space activities. tems providing spherical situa- this initial air superiority and air work — to provide flying ISR and who has worked closely with the U.S. Air Force,
communications support would
Marine Corps, Navy and Coast Guard for many
years and has focused on the connectivity chal-

lenge to craft combined and joint forces.

Building Transparency in Space

< THERESA HITCHENS >

Senior Pentagon and U.S. Air Force commercial satellite industry recently have outgoing chairman of the U.N. Committee seem to be reluctant to consider using the
leaders have insightfully recognized banded together to begin examining new for the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space in Vi- private sector — despite the fact that the
that international cooperation among ideas for data sharing. One concept, enna, Austria. Based on industry experi- Air Force program is chronically under-
governments and the satellite industry will known by the rather bland moniker of the ence so far, this is a feasible goal — unless funded, understaffed and often underap-
be required to ensure the level of space sit- “data center,” would seek to create a shared politics get in the way. preciated by service leaders. While it is ob-
uational awareness (SSA) needed to pro- repository of information about satellite vious that there are going to be issues of
tect U.S. and the rest of the world’s orbital positions, using both carefully protected And, sadly, politics and bureaucracy protecting the security of military and in-
assets. In recent months, a number of sen- operator data and Air Force space surveil- seem to be impeding progress already. De- telligence gathering satellites with any out-
ior U.S. officials — from both the Defense lance data. Eventually, this center could spite industry attempts to engage the mili- side system, it is just as obvious that obses-
and State Departments — also have been provide an automated conjunction warn- tary space community in the ongoing com- sive secrecy will come back to bite all
traveling abroad to discuss potential future ing and assessment service for the geosta- mercial discussions, the Pentagon and Air satellite operators, including the military
data-sharing plans with U.S. friends and al- tionary belt. The idea is to establish an eco- Force Space Command so far have failed and the intelligence community. Further, it
lies with an eye to creating a so-called nomical and trusted voluntary system that to fully and constructively engage. This is is not at all clear that the government “busi-
“Neighborhood Watch” network. exploits current and emergent capabilities, disturbing, as it is apparent that many of ness as usual” model, which is focused on
rather than simply adding more operator the needed improvements for data shar- building new hardware and a new program
Today, the majority of space actors re- data into the current decades-old system. ing, prediction of close approaches — or around it, is likely to be the best answer to
ceive orbital data from an Air Force-run “conjunctions”— and methods for colli- the problem at hand.
program known as the Commercial and In addition, others in the international sion avoidance already could be imple-
Foreign Entities (CFE) program. There is satcom community also are informally ex- mented based on industry know-how. For Instead of blindly forging ahead with
broad agreement in the government and ploring the possibility of a truly global SSA example, the Center for Space Standards plans for the future of the U.S. SSA pro-
commercial space communities that this database that would include inputs from a and Innovation, a space research group in gram, the Air Force and the Pentagon
program needs to be substantially revised. wide range of spacefaring nations — not Colorado Springs, Colo., actually has should be paying much closer attention to
The Air Force, in fact, currently is under- just the United States — as well as industry. launched a process for data sharing and the industry efforts and move to take ad-
taking a study of SSA needs and is at- Indeed, there are a number of potential conjunction analysis that is significantly vantage of what foundation stones already
tempting to develop a solid plan for im- sensor assets in Europe that could con- more responsive, both in time and speci- have been laid. There is too much at stake
proving its outdated approach to sharing tribute; French President Nicolas Sarkozy ficity of output data, than current Air to allow knee-jerk secrecy and a “not in-
data gathered from its global sensing net- has pledged to spearhead the development Force practice. Further, standards for uni- vented here” attitude to delay progress to-
work. But while nearly everyone agrees on of a collaborative European space surveil- formly reporting data among the owner ward improved space transparency.
the need for better data sharing to in- lance network. The concept of a global and operators exist under the auspices of
crease transparency in space, avoid colli- database further is being considered as the international Consultative Committee Theresa Hitchens is the director of the World Security
sions and monitor debris, the question of part of a larger effort to define cooperative for Space Data Standards.
how that will be done is as yet unclear. measures to sustain the long-term use of Institute’s Center for Defense Information (CDI) and chief of
space, launched by Gerard Brachet, the Yet, those responsible at the Pentagon
Thus, many of the major actors in the and within Air Force Space Command the CDI Space Security Project, which operates in coopera-

tion with the Secure World Foundation.